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Malay Mail
20-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Lima '25 showcases Malaysia's focus on innovation, defence readiness, says Anwar
LANGKAWI, May 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia's hosting of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA'25) reflects the nation's strong commitment to defence preparedness, regional peace and strategic collaboration amid rapidly evolving global security challenges. Speaking at the LIMA'25 opening ceremony at the Langkawi International Convention Centre (LICC) last night, Anwar described this edition as far more successful than the previous LIMA, crediting the ministers especially Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and international partners for their contributions in elevating LIMA to greater prominence. 'So again, let me express my profound thanks to all of you, ministers and senior officials from various countries and companies who took time off and participate in this LIMA exhibition to portray your spirit of cooperation and taking Malaysia as a great friend,' he said. At the same time, Anwar said Malaysia's geopolitical position as a maritime nation surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca underscores the importance of maintaining defence readiness while upholding peace in the region. He emphasised that ASEAN, as a bloc, remains a pillar of regional stability, hence, Malaysia welcomes the participation of global powers including China, India, Korea, the United States (US) and European nations in LIMA'25. He said the presence of those countries signals not only support and build meaningful cooperation, but also reflects the shared ambition to shape the future based on progress, resilience and collaboration. Despite Southeast Asia's reputation as one of the most peaceful and economically vibrant regions in the world, Anwar said that maintaining peace must never be taken for granted, instead, it requires continuous investment in defence capabilities and preparedness against unpredictable global developments. 'I must state that any country to secure and ensure peace, there must be preparedness and must be able to appreciate the changing circumstances, the state-of-the-art in the (defence) industry and you have seen in the past years in this exhibition and this year's LIMA, the changing capacity. 'From the report I have seen the change not only unprecedented, the pace of change, particularly with new technology and AI (Artificial Intelligence), is exceptional and it is precisely for this reason that we find the exhibition in defence... is displayed for us to learn, share and see,' he added. Besides that, Anwar said LIMA'25 also offers a critical platform to showcase the latest advancements and foster collaboration between nations and defence industries, both globally and within Malaysia's own ecosystem. With 860 exhibitors participating in this year's edition, Anwar described LIMA as one of the world's foremost defence and commercial aerospace exhibitions, adding that it provides opportunities to support local enterprises while enhancing Malaysia's strategic capabilities. He said the exhibition is not just about military displays, it's about building partnerships, supporting local industries, and to keep pace with innovation for national and regional security. The Prime Minister also touched on Malaysia's continuous engagement in multilateral security efforts, such as joint border committees, the Malacca Strait Patrols, and trilateral cooperation frameworks which have yielded tangible outcomes in maritime safety. 'We ascribe to the ASEAN position of centrality takes a very strong committed position to engage with all our neighboring countries and partners, East and West, United States, China, India, Australia and the rest and I think this for me, means truly strategic engagements with partners that will secure and ensure peace for the present and future,' he added. He also reaffirmed Malaysia's global stance on peace and security, including its long-standing role in United Nations peacekeeping missions and its support for inclusive initiatives such as the Women, Peace and Security agenda. LIMA'25 is co-organised by the Ministry of Defence and Global Exhibitions and Conferences Sdn Bhd (GEC), with a focus on innovation and enhancing competitiveness among industry players in line with current technological advancements. Themed 'Today's Innovation, Tomorrow's Achievements', LIMA'25 (May 20 to 24) will take place in Langkawi, Kedah, and remains one of the largest maritime and aerospace exhibitions in Southeast Asia since its inception in 1991. — Bernama
Malay Mail
15-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Beyond pledges: Asean-GCC-China summit and AZEC will reboot global trade governance — Phar Kim Beng
MAY 15 — Malaysia will host the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit on May 26-27 2025—an event whose significance may well echo that of the 1955 Bandung Conference. Come September 2025, Malaysia will also host the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC). But to achieve that level of impact, this summit must do more than produce joint declarations or glossy memorandums. It must redefine how the global economy is stabilised in an age of fragmentation and coercion. It must demonstrate that a new trade order, anchored in interregional pluralism, can rise from the East and South—not to replace the West, but to rebalance what has become dangerously unhinged. The stakes are high. Geopolitical fault lines have hardened, protectionism has surged, and the multilateral trading system is under siege. The World Trade Organisation (WTO), once the guardian of rules-based trade, has been sidelined by economic nationalism, while unilateral tariffs and weaponised sanctions increasingly dictate the flows of goods, capital, and data. Against this backdrop, the convergence of Asean, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and China is not incidental—it is strategic. Together, they represent over 2.5 billion people, control some of the world's most vital maritime choke points—the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Hormuz, to name but two—and are deeply embedded in overlapping networks of energy, infrastructure, digital platforms, and manufacturing ecosystems. The world must not misread this summit as another diplomatic ritual especially when this summit can lead to the Asia Zero Emissions Community (AZEC) promoted by Japan and also the East Asian Summit (EAS) by September and No November 2025 respectively. Thus, its real promise lies in its potential to institutionalise a new form of multilateralism rooted not in ideology but in necessity. This is a historic opportunity to chart a path toward stable trade governance based on three pillars: tariff predictability, supply chain resilience, and a future-ready digital economy. These goals are not aspirational—they are urgent. Malaysia is hosting several key international meetings in 2025, including the Asean-GCC-China Summit in May and the Asia Zero Emissions Community in September. — Reuters pic From microchip shortages and food inflation to vaccine nationalism and green energy disputes, the last five years have proven that no region can navigate economic shocks in isolation. In this context, the trilateral structure of the summit offers a counterweight to the fractured Western-led trade regimes that now revolve around punitive measures, zero-sum thinking, and 'de-risking' rhetoric that barely disguises economic containment. What Asean, the GCC, and China can offer instead is a pluralistic framework of shared access, mutual respect, and real-time coordination. The success of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which already includes China and Asean, not excluding EAS,.offers a promising model—one that could be expanded to include GCC countries seeking greater diversification and integration beyond hydrocarbons. Yet this vision cannot rest on economic logic alone. It must be politically willed. That is where the dynastic element of many participating states—so often derided in Western commentaries—becomes a hidden strength. Whether in the House of Saud, Malaysia's political lineage, or China's enduring leadership structure, dynastic continuity can provide the long-term strategic vision often missing from short-term electoral systems. Just as the Bandung Summit was driven by post-colonial sovereignty, this summit can be driven by a post-hegemonic vision of shared economic security—one in which no single power can unplug or destabilise the system at will. Indeed, what the world should look for from this summit is not the usual fanfare of infrastructure deals or digital partnerships, but the creation of permanent institutional mechanisms. These include standing trade coordination councils, trilateral dispute resolution protocols, and joint emergency frameworks for future supply chain disruptions. This would move the Asean-GCC-China triangle from a transactional relationship to a structural one—a shift that could protect global trade from the spasms of geopolitical rivalry and unilateral disruptions. For China, which is navigating rising hostility from the West, the summit offers a way to demonstrate that its future lies not in domination but in integration. For the GCC, increasingly seen as a hub for strategic investment and digital connectivity, this is a chance to transition from oil diplomacy to platform diplomacy. For Asean, long prized for its centrality, this is a moment to prove that neutrality does not mean passivity, and that economic interdependence can be transformed into strategic agency. Malaysia, as the host, stands at the confluence of these ambitions. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's invitation to Chinese Premier Li Qiang to join the summit shows Malaysia's willingness to serve as a convener of new coalitions—not just to advance its national interest, but to stabilise a region and world in flux. To be clear, the world should not judge this summit by the number of agreements signed or the length of its closing communiqué. Its success will be measured by whether it creates durable channels for cooperation, not just ceremonial ones. Does it establish a trilateral trade council? Does it create a platform for synchronized crisis response? Does it offer a digital code of conduct or a low-carbon economic blueprint that binds all three actors not unlike the inclusion of AZEC concurrently promoted by Japan? Of which AZEC is heavily promoted by Prime Minister Ishiba Shige and former Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan. If so, then this summit will not merely echo Bandung—it will extend its legacy into the twenty-first century, allowing all major powers a constructive role in a new global trade order. Indeed, in a world increasingly defined by fragmentation, the Asean-GCC-China Summit plus future AZEC and EAS in 2025, Malaysia offers a rare chance to build something that endures. That is a trade order that cannot be unilaterally dismantled, a multilateralism that cannot be hollowed out, and a future where prosperity does not come at the cost of sovereignty or peace let alone climate change. This is the signature diplomacy of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim the champion of Global Dialogue Society which other regional organizations and great powers do embrace. * Phar Kim Beng is a former Harvard fellow and a professor of Asean Studies at the International Islamic University Malaysia. He writes widely on regional diplomacy, civilisational dialogue, and global trade governance. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
