THE eyes of the world turned to Kuala Lumpur today as the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits officially opened under Malaysia’s chairmanship, carrying the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”
The summit, one of the largest in ASEAN’s history, underscores Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening regional unity, advancing social equity and securing a sustainable and prosperous future for Southeast Asia.
As early as 7am, ASEAN leaders, global counterparts and dialogue partners began arriving at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), where they were greeted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Among the early arrivals were Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
A key highlight this morning will be the signing ceremony marking Timor-Leste’s formal admission into ASEAN, making it the bloc’s 11th member — a milestone in ASEAN’s continuing expansion and inclusivity.
Global attention is also fixed on the arrival of United States President Donald Trump, who is making his first official visit to Malaysia since returning to office in January.
His attendance at the 13th ASEAN–US Summit is expected to provide a vital platform for regional leaders to convey ASEAN’s collective stance on peace, trade and energy cooperation.
One of the most anticipated moments of the summit is the signing of the Thailand–Cambodia Peace Agreement, to be witnessed by Anwar and Trump.
The accord represents a diplomatic breakthrough following deadly border clashes in July that left more than 40 people dead. It also highlights ASEAN’s capacity to mediate bilateral conflicts peacefully and constructively, echoing the principles of the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, which remains a key agenda item.
Beyond security issues, ASEAN leaders are also reviewing progress on regional integration, including the implementation of the Vientiane Action Plan 2025 and ongoing negotiations for the Kuala Lumpur Accord on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development — a post-2025 roadmap shaping ASEAN’s Vision 2045.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, speaking at a recent press conference, said ASEAN will not be issuing a joint statement on its ongoing trade dispute with the United States.
“We did not discuss trade or tariff issues during the meeting, and it is more appropriate for each country to issue its own statement and negotiate directly with the US,” he said.
“I believe President Donald Trump prefers bilateral dealings rather than multilateral ones. Therefore, there will be no collective ASEAN statement on the matter,” he added.
On ASEAN’s ties with the European Union, Mohamad said negotiations for the ASEAN–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) were now in their final stages and progressing positively.
“ASEAN is in the final phase of negotiating the ASEAN–EU FTA. The progress so far has been very encouraging, and we hope to conclude the agreement soon,” he said, confirming that European Council President António Costa will attend the summit as a guest from tomorrow until Tuesday.
As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Malaysia is hosting leaders from all 10 member states along with major dialogue partners, including the United States, China and Japan. Among the prominent world leaders attending are US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Japan, the European Union, the United States and representatives from the United Nations, in addition to chairing the ASEAN–Japan, ASEAN–India and AZEC summits. - October 26, 2025
