KUALA LUMPUR is witnessing the arrival of world leaders ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, set to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) from 26 to 28 October.
Among those touching down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport today are Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his spouse Rosângela Lula da Silva, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng, South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa and his spouse Dr Tshepo Motsepe, as well as Timor-Leste’s President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.
They will be joined by Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn and his spouse Khen Rany, Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono and Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago.
Also expected at the summit are US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, European Council President Antonio Costa, and Japan’s first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Their arrival marks the build-up to a high-level gathering that will bring together leaders from across the Asia-Pacific and beyond.
Under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship theme for 2025, “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, this year’s summit is poised to be one of the largest in ASEAN’s history.
It will serve as a crucial platform for deepening regional cooperation, strengthening economic resilience, and addressing global challenges in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
The event will also mark Timor-Leste’s formal participation as ASEAN’s 11th member state, a milestone expected to be confirmed during the summit on 26 October.
Among the week’s key meetings are the 26th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting, which will review the AEC Blueprint 2025, and the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force Experts+4 Meeting, which will explore strategies to navigate the shifting global economic and trade environment.
Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 will be its fifth since the regional bloc’s founding in 1967, following its previous terms in 2015, 2005, 1997 and 1977.
Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa will undertake a four-day official visit to Malaysia at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, during which both leaders are expected to discuss strengthening bilateral ties in trade, investment, defence, education and innovation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ramaphosa will be accorded an official welcome at Perdana Putra in Putrajaya, followed by a bilateral meeting with Anwar at Seri Perdana.
He will also attend the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit and the 20th East Asia Summit, and will be conferred an Honorary Doctorate of International Relations by Universiti Malaya on 27 October in recognition of his leadership and advocacy for democracy and human rights.
The 47th ASEAN Summit takes place amid persistent geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty driven by tariff measures from the United States and ongoing global instability.
The gathering is expected to underscore ASEAN’s collective commitment to regional stability, sustainable growth, and multilateral cooperation. - October 24, 2025
