Malaysia to host inaugural summit of Asean, China, Gulf bloc

MALAYSIA will hold an inaugural joint summit for China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and a key bloc of Middle East states in May as they navigate global trade tensions, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said.

Asean must expand its global engagement beyond traditional partners, Anwar said at a conference in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Feb 17). The Gulf Cooperation Council, whose members include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, will be in attendance at the May event, he said.

“Strengthening ties with China, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Brics and other emerging economies is not about choosing sides,” Anwar said. “Rather, it is about ensuring Asean’s strategic relevance in a multipolar world.”

Malaysia, which helms Asean this year, is positioning itself as a neutral base as tensions between the US and China grow. China has been the collective Asean bloc’s largest trading partner for years.

“We remain non-aligned and will not be drawn into great power rivalries,” Anwar said. “We reject economic coercion and unilateral actions that undermine regional stability.” BLOOMBERG