Unity Over Division, ASEAN Wraps Up 58th AMM With Clear Message For Cooperation

By Yazmin Ahmad Zukiman

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings concluded on Friday with renewed momentum for regional cooperation and an unflinching call for dialogue over division.

Malaysia, in its capacity as the 2025 ASEAN Chair, successfully positioned the region as a steady, credible voice in an increasingly polarised global landscape.

Over four days from July 8, Kuala Lumpur hosted more than 20 ministerial-level meetings, bringing together ASEAN foreign ministers and their counterparts from global powers including the United States (US), China, Russia, the European Union, Japan, India and others.

Amid multiple global conflicts and rising geopolitical competition, ASEAN stood firm on the principles that have long shaped the region through unity, neutrality, and inclusivity.

The 58th AMM reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes, particularly in the South China Sea, with ministers agreeing on the urgent need to finalise a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in accordance with international law and UNCLOS 1982.

On the Myanmar crisis, ASEAN and its dialogue partners have asserted that holding elections in Myanmar is not a current priority, instead emphasising the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire and inclusive dialogue to de-escalate the ongoing crisis.

Quoting a statement from Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, the focus remains on fully implementing ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus (5PC), which calls for, among other things, an immediate end to violence, the delivery of humanitarian assistance as well as inclusive political dialogue involving all stakeholders in Myanmar.

A significant highlight was the emphasis on the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, adopted at the 46th ASEAN Summit in May. The vision outlines a more resilient, digitally connected and sustainable region, one that promotes human rights, narrows development gaps and strengthens people-to-people ties.

Meanwhile, Dialogue Partner engagements saw ASEAN and its partners align on shared challenges from climate change to economic recovery. 

Among others, United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reaffirmed Washington’s enduring commitment to ASEAN, calling the regional bloc the “preeminent mechanism” for US engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

Rubio also described his engagement at the ASEAN-led Foreign Ministers’ Meetings (AMM) as “extraordinary”, asserting that Southeast Asia cannot be sidelined amid ongoing global challenges.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China remains committed to the principles of good-neighbourliness, peace and prosperity, to uphold the concept of ‘shared destiny,’ and collaborate with ASEAN to promote values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness. 

Against the backdrop of global uncertainty and rising geopolitical fragmentation, Malaysia emerged as a positive convener, providing the space for open dialogue.

Among the most striking moments of the AMM was a rare face-to-face meeting between Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the high-level talks.

Separately, Rubio also met Wang, their first in-person meeting, marking a symbolic moment where two world powers engage one another, under the ASEAN umbrella, on Malaysian soil.

As the meetings wrapped up, the tone was clear that ASEAN is not immune to the challenges facing the world, but it remains a vital platform where difficult conversations are still possible.

In a time of fragmentation, Kuala Lumpur offered a message of resolve that dialogue, inclusivity and regional cooperation still matter, perhaps now more than ever.

-- BERNAMA