ASEAN summit in Malaysia: who's coming and what to expect, insha'Allah
Salaam - Nearly two dozen leaders are gathering in Kuala Lumpur for a three-day ASEAN summit from Sunday to Tuesday, with several side meetings happening too. This is the 47th ASEAN summit, and here are the main points to know.
ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, totaling about 678 million people and a combined GDP of roughly $3.9 trillion. This year East Timor will join as the 11th member; it became independent from Indonesia in 2002 and has about 1.4 million people.
Most ASEAN leaders will attend, though Myanmar’s acting president, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, will not be present. Alongside ASEAN, the East Asia Summit will meet too - that brings leaders from ASEAN plus the US, China, India, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
High-profile attendees expected include the US president, China’s premier, Australia’s prime minister, Japan’s new prime minister, South Korea’s president and New Zealand’s prime minister. Russia will be represented by its deputy prime minister, and India’s prime minister is set to join virtually. Leaders from Brazil, Canada and South Africa will also be in Kuala Lumpur, and heads of big global institutions like the World Bank and IMF will appear at some sessions.
There will be separate meetings between ASEAN and major powers on the sidelines. A peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand is planned to be signed on Sunday to try to end a deadly border clash; the ceremony will be overseen by the US and Malaysia’s prime minister, according to local reports. That border dispute flared up in July, causing many deaths and displacements before a ceasefire was reached with help from Malaysia, China and the US. Critics, however, warn the pact might be more of a photo opportunity than a lasting fix, and concerns remain about unresolved border demarcation and ongoing violations.
Trade issues will be a big focus, especially US tariffs and access to rare earth minerals used in high-tech manufacturing - an area largely controlled by China. The US introduced broad tariffs called “Liberation Day Tariffs” in April; negotiated rates for most ASEAN countries sit around 10–20%, with higher rates for certain countries. In response, China has tightened exports of rare earths, affecting global supply chains. Many leaders will likely seek meetings with the US president or his team to discuss these trade matters.
Other urgent topics include Myanmar’s civil war and the spread of scam centres across Southeast Asia that have enriched criminal networks. Myanmar won’t chair ASEAN next year because of its internal conflict; the Philippines will take that role instead. ASEAN’s 2021 Five-Point Consensus called for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for Myanmar and the appointment of a special envoy, but critics say little has changed on the ground. Observers expect Myanmar and its regional impacts to be discussed, though some worry the summit may produce more symbolism than concrete policy.
ASEAN is often criticised for lacking enforcement powers to make members follow decisions, unlike bodies such as the EU. That reflects ASEAN’s origins in the 1960s and an emphasis on state sovereignty: member nations tend to resist any regional authority that would override their independence.
Overall, the summit will be a mix of high-level diplomacy, trade negotiations and attempts at conflict resolution. May Allah grant wisdom to the leaders and benefit to the people of the region, ameen.
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