Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has commended ASEAN for its resilience despite challenges to the global trading system, attributing this strength to the group’s milestones such as the establishment of the ASEAN Community and its collective problem-solving capabilities. Anwar, serving as the Chair for the 46th ASEAN Summit, emphasized the importance of these achievements in providing a renewed sense of optimism and confidence for ASEAN amidst complex global developments.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar addressed leaders from the 10-member group, expressing Malaysia’s honor in chairing ASEAN this year, a decade after the ASEAN Community’s creation. He highlighted the forward-looking 20-year vision that requires commitment and collective resolve from the member states. The summit, held under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” acknowledges the shifting geopolitical order and the strain on the global trading system, especially with recent US tariff impositions.
Anwar, who also serves as Finance Minister, noted the resurgence of protectionism and the fragmentation of multilateralism. However, he praised the centrality and fraternity among ASEAN Member States in forming a unified approach to these challenges. He pointed out the swift establishment of the ASEAN Geo-economics Task Force as a significant step for coordination and confidence-building in response to US tariffs.
The task force engages in discussions on the regional economic outlook, addressing US tariff policies, national initiatives, and future strategies. ASEAN’s non-retaliatory stance on the US tariffs, which are currently paused, contrasts with the more confrontational responses from China, Canada, and the European Union.
The summit saw attendance from heads of state including Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmo participated as an Observer, along with ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn.
This marks Malaysia’s fifth time chairing the regional bloc, with previous chairmanships in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. The summit also includes the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, which aim to enhance regional and inter-regional cooperation.