Anwar Reaffirms ASEAN’s Balanced Engagement With Major Powers

KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reaffirmed that ASEAN remains committed to maintaining balanced and constructive engagement with all major powers, amid perceptions of the regional bloc’s deepening ties with China.

He noted that the regional bloc remains committed to balanced engagement with all major powers based on its principle of centrality.

"There’s been this perception all along. That’s why I made it clear in my original statement to ASEAN leaders that following the recommendations by the foreign ministers during their first meeting in January in Langkawi (Malaysia), ASEAN will continue to engage both the United States and China, as well as other countries,” he said.

Anwar said this in response to a question on whether ASEAN’s expanding cooperation with China suggests a strategic tilt, during the wrap-up press conference of the 46th ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

Malaysia hosted the summit under its ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship, with the overarching theme “ASEAN Matters: Inclusivity and Sustainability”.

The two-day summit also saw the participation of ASEAN leaders and representatives from key dialogue partners in two high-level meetings -- the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit -- aimed at expanding regional and inter-regional cooperation.

Anwar added that the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit should not be viewed as evidence of a pivot to Beijing.

He said he had formally written to President Donald Trump to express ASEAN’s agreement to proceed with a United States-ASEAN Summit, as proposed by the bloc’s foreign ministers. 

“I don’t think it’s tilting in any way. If tomorrow I receive a letter from President Trump saying, yes, we’ll have a summit (but) not in June, that’s too soon, but in the next few months, we don’t have a problem,” he said.

Anwar also reiterated that ASEAN’s position remains rooted in its centrality and people-focused agenda, which prioritises the welfare and well-being of its citizens through economic relations, trade and investment.

“So if it means working with the Chinese, yes, we’ll do it. With the United States, yes, we have to,” he said, noting that Malaysia, in particular, has emerged as a hub for semiconductors, with over 60 per cent of related exports going to the United States.

“It makes a lot of sense to continue to engage and have reasonably good relations (with any countries) ,” he added.

-- BERNAMA