Latest news with #Five-PointConsensus
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Malaysia boosts intra-ASEAN trade to reduce global dependence
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is focusing on strengthening the ASEAN economic framework by boosting intra-ASEAN trade to ensure the continuity of the region's agenda, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. He said that amid growing global uncertainty, emphasis is now being placed on reinforcing regional economic ties to reduce dependence on traditional external trading partners. 'We can't rely too heavily on our traditional trading partners. Within ASEAN itself, trade among member states is very low, not even reaching 25 per cent. 'Therefore, we've introduced a framework to ensure that trade among ASEAN countries is enhanced,' he said during Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today. He was responding to a supplementary question from Manndzri Nasib (BN-Tenggara) on the key initiatives implemented and planned to ensure the continuity of ASEAN's agenda after Malaysia's chairmanship. Mohamad said key initiatives being pursued include the implementation of ASEAN Vision 2045, a 20-year plan themed 'Our Shared Future', aimed at raising ASEAN's economic standing to be on par with its existing political influence. 'We need to enhance economic activities among ourselves ... even if we increase (intra-ASEAN trade) to 30 or 40 per cent, that would be a significant achievement to reduce the dependence of ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia,' he said. To that end, Mohamad said Malaysia is also diversifying its markets through participation in the BRICS bloc, which represents over 40 per cent of the world's population and 25 per cent of global GDP, while also promoting a strategic trilateral partnership between ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China. 'If we can integrate these three major blocs effectively, we have a very promising future. The Gulf countries have strong purchasing power and abundant resources; ASEAN has a large workforce and rich natural resources; and China has a vast market. 'If we can strengthen this trilateral relationship, the economic benefits will be immense for ASEAN countries, particularly Malaysia. Insya-Allah,' he said. Responding to Manndzri's original question on Malaysia's satisfaction with its foreign policy achievements during its ASEAN chairmanship, particularly in strengthening unity, Mohamad said the Myanmar issue remains a key challenge for ASEAN in maintaining regional stability and peace. He described Myanmar's internal conflict as a 'thorn in the flesh' that undermines ASEAN's credibility in championing peace and human rights, especially since the crisis is unfolding within a member state. However, he said Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, has made various efforts to identify viable peaceful approaches that can be collectively adopted. Mohamad also stressed that ASEAN's current priority is the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus agreed upon by all member states, not recognising the unilateral elections planned by the Myanmar junta. - Bernama
The Hill
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
ASEAN is collapsing, and nobody wants to admit it
For decades, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — known as ASEAN — has been treated in Washington and other capitals as a bedrock of regional stability. It has been a model of consensus-driven diplomacy and a potential counterweight to Chinese dominance in the Indo-Pacific. But in 2025, that image is becoming dangerously outdated. ASEAN is no longer a coherent political bloc. Fragmented by internal crises, paralyzed in the face of regional threats, and unable to coordinate a meaningful response to the great power rivalry unfolding around it, ASEAN is collapsing — slowly, quietly, but unmistakably. The crisis is perhaps most vivid in Myanmar, where the military junta that seized power in 2021 is now fighting for its survival. The country is in open civil war. Resistance groups have taken control of large parts of the borderlands, while the regime continues to commit war crimes and ignore every diplomatic overture. ASEAN's so-called Five-Point Consensus — once touted as a pathway to peace — has become a dead letter. The bloc has refused to suspend Myanmar's membership, despite growing international pressure. Its only action has been to exclude the junta from high-level summits, a symbolic gesture that does nothing to halt the violence or alleviate the suffering of civilians. Myanmar is not the only fracture. Thailand, one of ASEAN's founding members and once seen as a stabilizing force in the region, is now consumed by its own political drama. After the 2023 general election, the progressive Move Forward Party won the most seats, only to be blocked from forming a government by the military-appointed Senate. In a stunning reversal, the Pheu Thai Party — once the main opposition to military rule — formed a coalition with those same military-aligned forces. The deal returned the old guard to power, sowing deep distrust among voters. Now, that uneasy alliance is unravelling. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of exiled former prime minister Thaksin and a prominent Pheu Thai figure, has been suspended from parliament amid an escalating scandal involving a leaked phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen. The call, widely interpreted as backchannel political coordination, has triggered an uproar in Bangkok, deepened factional rifts within the ruling coalition, and prompted speculation that another military coup — Thailand's third in two decades — may be on the horizon. Cambodia, for its part, is not even pretending to operate as a democracy. The 2023 handover of power from Hun Sen to his son, Hun Manet, was engineered with minimal transparency and no serious opposition. Phnom Penh remains one of Beijing's most loyal allies in the region, frequently undermining ASEAN unity on issues involving China — especially in the South China Sea. Laos is similarly aligned with China and effectively absent from ASEAN diplomacy. These trends are not isolated. They expose a deeper structural failure: ASEAN's model of consensus, non-interference and formal equality among states is no longer fit for purpose. It worked — barely — during the Cold War and its aftermath, when the region could afford strategic ambiguity. But today's geopolitical climate is different. Today, the region is a front line in U.S.-China competition, and ASEAN's diplomatic architecture is proving inadequate. It lacks a unified voice on security, democracy, trade or technology — the defining issues of our time. The bloc's inability to act has real consequences. As tensions rise in the South China Sea, with Chinese maritime aggression accelerating around the Philippines and Vietnam, ASEAN has failed to issue even a joint statement of condemnation. As the U.S. and its allies try to build resilient supply chains and technology partnerships, ASEAN members are signing competing deals — often with China — and undercutting each other's positions. Even on trade, where ASEAN was once considered relatively cohesive, real influence has shifted elsewhere. China is now the largest trading partner for nearly every ASEAN state, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has further institutionalized Beijing's role at the center of regional commerce. Behind closed doors, ASEAN officials increasingly acknowledge the dysfunction. Some are frustrated by the charade of unity. But the bloc's institutional design — a rotating chairmanship, no enforcement powers, and a culture of diplomatic avoidance — makes real change nearly impossible. The result is performative multilateralism: summits that produce boilerplate communiqués, working groups that avoid hard issues and a growing gap between ASEAN's image and its actual influence. This matters for U.S. strategy. Washington has long relied on ASEAN centrality as a foundation for its Indo-Pacific engagement. But if ASEAN cannot function as a reliable partner, U.S. policymakers will need to shift course. That may mean building more flexible 'mini-lateral' coalitions with individual countries like the Philippines, Vietnam or Indonesia. It may also require confronting the uncomfortable truth that ASEAN's decline helps Beijing, which has long exploited the bloc's divisions to blunt regional resistance to Chinese assertiveness. Southeast Asia remains one of the world's most dynamic regions — economically vibrant, demographically young and strategically pivotal. But its central political institution is in retreat. ASEAN is not dead, but it has become hollow. Until its member states and their international partners are willing to admit that reality, the region will remain vulnerable — not just to external pressure, but to its own slow unravelling. Joseph Black is an American expat currently pursuing a master's in international affairs at King's College London and a Ph.D. in gender studies at Chiang Mai University. He also serves as a research officer at the University of New South Wales.
The Sun
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
ASEAN ministers praise special envoy's inclusive Myanmar efforts
KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN foreign ministers have praised the efforts of Tan Sri Othman Hashim, the ASEAN Chair's Special Envoy on Myanmar, for his inclusive approach in engaging diverse stakeholders to address the ongoing crisis. The recognition came in a joint communique issued after the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Othman, appointed in January, has actively worked with ASEAN member states, dialogue partners, Myanmar's neighbours, and humanitarian organisations. The ministers noted his role in fostering dialogue to find a sustainable resolution. 'This inclusive engagement reflects ASEAN's commitment to collaborative efforts in addressing the complex challenges in Myanmar,' the statement read. The former Foreign Ministry secretary-general is the fifth special envoy appointed since Myanmar's 2021 military coup. The ministers also expressed deep concern over escalating conflicts and worsening humanitarian conditions, urging all parties to halt violence and protect civilians. They reaffirmed the Five-Point Consensus as the key framework for resolving Myanmar's crisis and agreed to review its implementation ahead of the 47th ASEAN Summit. Additionally, they condemned attacks on civilians and infrastructure, calling for restraint to enable humanitarian aid and dialogue. The AHA Centre's progress in delivering aid under the Five-Point Consensus was also welcomed. - Bernama
The Star
12-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Anwar meets leaders from seven countries
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim held a series of bilateral meetings with senior leaders from seven countries, including China and Australia, where discussions centred around efforts to further strengthen ties. The meetings held at the Prime Minister's Office also involved representatives from Pakistan, Turkiye, Palestine, United Kingdom and European Union, who are here for the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings. On his meeting with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Prime Minister said both sides discussed various aspects of Malaysia-China ties, which continues to be strengthened following President Xi Jinping's visit to Malaysia in April. 'We explored efforts to narrow the trade gap and expand cooperation in the port, liquefied natural gas (LNG), water, digital economy and green technology sectors,' he said, Bernama reported. Anwar also expressed appreciation for China's support of Asean's Five-Point Consensus regarding the situation in Myanmar, reiterating the importance of a peaceful resolution to the South China Sea issue, in line with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). During his meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the Prime Minister welcomed investors' interest in the smart manufacturing, digital economy, artificial intelligence and renewable energy sectors. 'Australia has also been invited to participate in the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas) this September, in line with the halal economy's vast potential as a driver of future cooperation,' he said. In a meeting with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Anwar said discussions revolved around the upcoming official visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Malaysia, during which several memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed. The two leaders also explored potential cooperation in agriculture, particularly in rice trade, and exchanged views on regional and global developments, including Asean-Pakistan relations and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Anwar also received a courtesy call from Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, where he expressed interest in encouraging further investments in strategic sectors such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, digital and green economy, artificial intelligence (AI) and aerospace. On his meeting with the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Anwar said the discussion focused on enhancing cooperation across various areas, including investment, energy transition, education, climate change, defence, digitalisation and AI. 'I also welcome increased UK investments, particularly in the semiconductor and green infrastructure sectors,' he said. The Prime Minister, who also met Palestinian Planning and International Cooperation Minister Dr Estephan Salameh, said Malaysia continues to strengthen its role in supporting the Palestinian people, particularly in the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza. On his meeting with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Anwar said Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with the EU, which is currently Malaysia's fourth-largest trading partner, with total trade reaching US$47.93bil in 2024.
New Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
PM: Malaysia welcomes UK investment, closer ties in AI, green sectors
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today received a courtesy visit from the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary, David Lammy. This visit aims to further strengthen bilateral relations, which were elevated to a 'strategic partnership' after Anwar's meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer last January. In a post on platform X, Anwar said Malaysia welcomes closer cooperation in various fields, including investment, energy transition, education, climate change, defence, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence (AI). "I also welcome more investment from the UK, especially in the semiconductor and green infrastructure sectors, through the Global Industrial Agenda. We also expressed our appreciation for the UK's active role as a dialogue partner of Asean, particularly in supporting humanitarian efforts in Myanmar and calling for a ceasefire and the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC)," he added. The Prime Minister also stated that Malaysia-UK relations are becoming more mature and strategic, grounded in shared values – justice, the rule of law, and universal humanity. - BERNAMA
