Tariff issues will be discussed at the 46th ASEAN Summit
Speaking at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City before he departed for Malaysia to attend the 46th ASEAN Summit, Marcos Jr. described the tariff issue as a development requiring collective response from the ASEAN member states.
'We have already had informal consultations with the ASEAN Chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and fellow member states. Given the differing trade circumstances across ASEAN, we must find consensus on this issue,' he was quoted as saying in a video posted on the official Facebook page of Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM). RTVM is the official broadcast agency and media arm of the Philippine President.
On his participation in the summit, Marcos Jr. said the Philippines remains committed to strengthening ASEAN centrality and regional cooperation, especially amid pressing regional and global challenges such as developments in the South China Sea, the situation in Myanmar, climate change, maritime security and digital transformation.
During the summit from May 26 to 27, Marcos Jr. will participate in plenary and retreat sessions, as well as meetings with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, ASEAN Youth and Parliamentarians. He is also scheduled to attend the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.
'These platforms offer a valuable opportunity to share insights on our increasingly complex economic and geopolitical landscape,' he said.
The Philippine leader said he would also promote the development of a common regional framework for ethical and responsible artificial intelligence (AI), aligned with ASEAN values.
Bilateral talks with Prime Minister Anwar and other ASEAN leaders are also on his agenda, aimed at reinforcing regional ties and exploring new areas of cooperation.
Since assuming office in 2022, Marcos Jr. has actively participated in ASEAN engagements, highlighting the Philippines' commitment to peace, resilience and sustainable development in the region.
The Philippines will assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026, following Myanmar's exclusion due to its ongoing political crisis.
The 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings, which are being held under Malaysia's 2025 chairmanship themed 'Inclusivity and Sustainability', are expected to address a wide range of pressing regional and international issues, with the ongoing crisis in Myanmar remaining a key point of concern for ASEAN member states.
This year marks Malaysia's fifth time chairing the regional bloc, having previously held the ASEAN chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
In addition to the ASEAN-level meetings, two important inter-regional summits – the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit – will also take place on May 26 and 27, signalling the growing engagement between Southeast Asia and its strategic partners in the Gulf and China.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
4 minutes ago
- The Star
Mohamed Khaled begins three-day official visit to Turkiye
ISTANBUL: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin arrived here on Tuesday (July 22) night for a three-day official visit to Turkiye aimed at strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and exploring strategic defence opportunities. He landed at Istanbul Airport at approximately 9.30pm local time (2.30am Malaysian time), where he was received by Malaysia's Consul General in Istanbul, Ahmad Amiri Abu Bakar, and Turkish Liaison Officer Captain (Engineer) Serkan Ekin. Mohamed Khaled is accompanied by Royal Malaysian Navy Chief Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain and a delegation from the Defence Ministry. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Turkiye, Azerbaijan and Sudan - Turkiye's Defence Minister Yasar Guler, Azerbaijan's Defence Minister Vugar Mustafayev, and Sudan's Defence Minister Hassan Daoud Kayan. He will also attend the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, one of the world's leading defence exhibitions, organised by Turkiye's Ministry of National Defence. The exhibition is taking place at the Istanbul Expo Centre from July 22 to 27 and brings together global defence industry stakeholders to showcase and explore the latest technologies and innovations. Several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between Malaysian government agencies and companies with their Turkish counterparts are expected to be signed during the exhibition. As part of his itinerary, Mohamed Khaled will also meet with officials from Turkiye's Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), the agency responsible for managing the country's defence industry and military technology development. In addition, he is scheduled to inspect the progress of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) from the second batch, currently under construction by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) at the Istanbul Shipyard. This follows his visit to Turkiye in June last year, during which the Ministry of Defence issued the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) to STM for the procurement of the three LMS vessels. - Bernama
New Straits Times
4 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Zafrul: Halal certification a 'red line' in US trade talks
KUALA LUMPUR: Halal certification is one of Malaysia's non-negotiable issues, or "red lines", in ongoing trade discussions with the United States. Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said several discussions with the relevant ministries and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) on the recognition of halal certificates issued by the US have also been conducted. Any agreement on the matter, he said, must be in line with Jakim's standards. "The issue of halal certification is also one of our red lines, for example, the recognition of halal certificates from the US. "Guidelines have been developed based on past experience and in consultation with the US. "If they follow Jakim's requirements and maintain similar standards to those adopted in other countries, then we can consider accepting them. But the recognition must come from Jakim," he said during the question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. Tengku Zafrul was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok), who asked for further clarification on the red lines outlined by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on tariffs imposed by the US. Anwar had said Malaysia will not compromise on its national policies in trade negotiations, even as discussions with the US on proposed tariffs continue. He said the government had drawn a clear red line to protect its policies, including those that provide opportunities for local companies and uphold the Bumiputera agenda. Commenting further, Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia will remain firm in defending its core economic policies, not only with the US but also with international companies. He said such a principle is essential to protect Bumiputera interests and to ensure the country's economic development remains balanced. "While we maintain a proactive and open stance in negotiations, we have also identified the red lines, non-negotiable issues, which were recently agreed upon at the cabinet level," he said. He also cited the National Trade Estimate Report released by the US, which highlighted several Malaysian policies, including local equity requirements in government procurement as trade barriers. "They raised concerns over Malaysia's government procurement policies and local equity requirements, which they argue affect market access. They also said their market is open, so why isn't ours? "Intellectual property protection is also a recurring agenda item in efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation. "As such, we must stand firm in defending our key policies, including those related to ownership, procurement, and the sovereignty of our trade policies."
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
Mohamed Khaled Begins Three-day Official Visit To TÜrkİyee
From Mohd Adli Shahar ISTANBUL, July 23 (Bernama) – Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin arrived here last night for a three-day official visit to Türkiye aimed at strengthening bilateral defence cooperation and exploring strategic defence opportunities. He landed at Istanbul Airport at approximately 9.30pm local time (2.30am Malaysian time), where he was received by Malaysia's Consul General in Istanbul, Ahmad Amiri Abu Bakar, and Turkish Liaison Officer Captain (Engineer) Serkan Ekin. Mohamed Khaled is accompanied by Royal Malaysian Navy Chief Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain and a delegation from the Ministry of Defence. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Sudan — Türkiye's Defence Minister Yasar Guler, Azerbaijan's Defence Minister Vugar Mustafayev, and Sudan's Defence Minister Hassan Daoud Kayan. He will also attend the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, one of the world's leading defence exhibitions, organised by Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence. The exhibition is taking place at the Istanbul Expo Centre from July 22 to 27 and brings together global defence industry stakeholders to showcase and explore the latest technologies and innovations. Several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between Malaysian government agencies and companies with their Turkish counterparts are expected to be signed during the exhibition. As part of his itinerary, Mohamed Khaled will also meet with officials from Türkiye's Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), the agency responsible for managing the country's defence industry and military technology development. In addition, he is scheduled to inspect the progress of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) from the second batch, currently under construction by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) at the Istanbul Shipyard.
