Leaders from Southeast Asia, China, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) convened on Tuesday for their first-ever trilateral summit, seeking to strengthen economic ties and safeguard their trade-dependent economies. Image: ASEAN.
(The Post News)- Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders gathered on Tuesday in their first-ever trilateral summit. They aimed to enhance economic cooperation. They also intended to shield their trade-dependent economies from the spillover of growing U.S. protectionism.
The historic summit was hosted in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. It took place on the second day of the 46th annual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It was a favorable geopolitical twist of fate. Regional heads are seeking new alignments amidst world trade tensions.
According to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the ASEAN-GCC-China summit gathered the top officials of the 10 ASEAN countries. It also included six GCC nations and China’s Premier Li Qiang. Anwar emphasized the need for the bloc. He deemed it critical to “resilience and sustainable prosperity.” This is important in a period of “economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges.”
“Multilateralism is coming apart at the seams. This world trade system is under severe stress due to the imposition of U.S. unilateral tariffs,” Anwar declared in his opening remarks. “The ASEAN-GCC relationship has never been more important.”
The U.S. tariffs, initiated by U.S President Donald Trump, have disproportionately affected six ASEAN nations with 32% to 49% rates. Trump has suspended the tariffs for 90 days. He has also signed an early agreement with China. Nonetheless, long-term economic stability issues persist.
In response to this, ASEAN is going for diversification of trade and least dependence on Western economies. Anwar announced that ASEAN members agreed that bilateral pacts with the U.S. will never come at the expense of fellow ASEAN economies. “We will defend the turf of 660 million people,” he stated.
Premier Li Qiang endorsed the call for cooperation. He urged the blocs to reinforce “open regionalism and true multilateralism” in the face of protectionism. He said that China is eager to enhance trade and investment ties with ASEAN. China also seeks to strengthen connections with the GCC to better tackle shared global challenges.
The summit featured high-level representation from the GCC, demonstrating the importance of the gathering. Attendees comprised the Emir of Qatar, crown princes from Kuwait and Bahrain, and an Oman deputy prime minister.
Rob McBride reported for Al Jazeera from Kuala Lumpur. He stated that ASEAN is “very much looking at developing relationships with other parts of the world.” ASEAN aims to expand economic resilience specifically with China and also the Middle East.
While ASEAN seeks out new relationships, it continues to walk a tightrope with the United States. Anwar disclosed that he wrote a letter to Donald Trump asking for an ASEAN-U.S. summit later this year. Word of response has yet to be heard, though, according to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.
The analysts view the summit as a shrewd move for all parties concerned. “In light of the unpredictability of U.S. trade policy, ASEAN nations are diversifying,” explained Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore. “Trading with the Gulf and China is part of this diversification.”
ASEAN leaders addressed the ongoing Myanmar crisis. They called for all parties to offer a temporary cease-fire. They also urged them to embark on a lasting political solution. In a communiqué, they urged parties to build confidence. This should lead to the holding of an inclusive national dialogue. The ultimate aim is to obtain a durable peaceful settlement.
The global trade climate is in flux. In this context, the inaugural ASEAN-China-GCC summit marks a turning point in regional co-operation. It is also an unmistakable sign of shifting allegiances in a multipolar economic world.
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