‘Asean will be finished’ if divided amid US-China rivalry, says PM Wong
Mutual suspicion and mistrust between the two powers likely to continue, he says at retreat with Asean leaders
[KUALA LUMPUR] Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned on Sunday (Oct 26) night that the conditions which underpin South-east Asia’s peace, stability and growth are now under threat. They are strained by intensifying “great power rivalry between America and China”.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that both the US and China have a “very successful framework for (President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping) to discuss” trade issues on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea on Thursday, following talks by senior officials from both sides during the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
PM Wong, however, sounded a note of caution. “To be realistic, the mutual suspicion and mistrust between the two powers is likely to continue, and they will continue to take steps to insulate themselves against one another.”
He said this at a retreat session held at the end of the first day of the biannual summit held in Malaysia’s capital.
The Singapore leader’s remarks came after an eventful agenda, in which Trump witnessed the signing of a peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia. At the 13th Asean-US Summit held on the same day, Trump said the US is with the “nations of South-east Asia… 100 per cent”.
PM Wong said the retreat session was an opportunity for the 11-member bloc to “speak candidly about the issues confronting Asean both externally and internally”.
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He said the US and China “will continue to take steps to insulate themselves against one another”, which means that Asean will continue to come under pressure.
“Whether or not we have a trade deal with the US, we will come under growing pressure to take sides, to align with one side or the other,” he said.
“No one can tell what the future will hold. For Asean, this is not an abstract matter because everything is at stake.”
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Therefore, he urged all the Asean leaders to stand together.
“If we are unable to do this, or if we let disputes divide us, we will diminish our credibility, our agency, and our relevance on the international stage,” said PM Wong. “Asean will be finished.”
Regional instability
To that end, PM Wong said there were two issues Asean must resolve quickly.
First, while Malaysia’s efforts as Asean chair have helped Thailand and Cambodia reach a peace accord, he cautioned that “there is still a long road ahead”.
He urged both sides to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation, and settle differences through peaceful dialogue and established mechanisms.
The second issue, he said, is the continuing political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar – nearly five years after a military coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government and sparked an armed rebellion.
The immediate priority, he stressed, is to de-escalate violence, facilitate humanitarian access and create conditions for dialogue.
A sustainable solution, he added, is “only achievable through constructive engagement among all key stakeholders” and must be Myanmar-owned and led.
He highlighted the roles of the Asean Special Envoy and the Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance in fostering inclusive dialogue, and called for the envoy’s mandate to be extended to a multi-year term for greater continuity.
PM Wong also welcomed Asean leaders’ reaffirmation of the Five-Point Consensus – which calls for an end to violence and peaceful dialogue – until Myanmar makes tangible progress, and said Singapore will continue supporting regional efforts to implement the peace plan.
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