Malaysia’s foreign minister urged Southeast Asian nations to fast-track regional economic integration and stand united in the face of sweeping US tariffs that have disrupted global trade.
Speaking at a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers, Mohamad Hasan warned that the US–China trade war was causing serious shocks to production and global markets.
“ASEAN nations are among those most heavily affected by the US-imposed tariffs,” Mohamad said. “We must seize this moment to deepen regional economic integration so that we can better shield our region from external shocks.”
Tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration — ranging from 10% to 49% — have hit six of ASEAN’s 10 members the hardest, officials said. The fallout could undermine ASEAN’s 2025 growth forecast of 4.7%.
Mohamad said ASEAN is seeking a special summit with the US to discuss trade issues as a bloc, and hopes the meeting can be held later this year. He confirmed that several countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, began trade talks with Washington after Trump paused the tariffs for 90 days last month.
Turning to regional security, Mohamad said the conflict in Myanmar has become an “ASEAN issue” with growing cross-border consequences, including rising refugee flows and transnational crimes. He dismissed Myanmar’s plan to hold elections this year as a “whitewash” and said no vote should take place until violence ends.
“Elections with partial participation will be meaningless,” he said, noting that many opposition groups are banned or boycotting the polls, and that the military has lost control over large parts of the country.
ASEAN plans to appoint a permanent envoy to Myanmar with a three-year mandate to engage with all sides and push for peace talks. Mohamad said he would travel to Myanmar in June to advance those efforts.
The minister also confirmed that ASEAN is exploring dialogue partnership with Ukraine and aims to speed up East Timor’s membership, which would expand the bloc to 11 members.
ASEAN leaders are scheduled to meet Monday for their annual summit, followed by a joint meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council on Tuesday. Climate change, artificial intelligence threats, and great power rivalries are also expected to be key agenda points.
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Donald Trump said Monday that any country doing business with Iran will face a 25% U.S. tariff on all trade with the United States, with the measure taking effect immediately.
Real Madrid have parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso, appointing former defender Álvaro Arbeloa as his replacement.
The UK government will introduce a new criminal offence this week targeting the creation of non-consensual intimate images, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced on Monday, amid growing concerns over AI-generated deepfakes.
Apple will use Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence models for its revamped Siri voice assistant later this year, in a multi-year deal that strengthens the tech giants’ partnership and boosts Alphabet’s position in the race against OpenAI.
Real Madrid have parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso, appointing former defender Álvaro Arbeloa as his replacement.
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Bob Weir, the rhythm guitarist, songwriter and co-founder of the Grateful Dead, has died at the age of 78, his family has said.
Israel has sharply escalated its warnings to Lebanon amid rising regional tensions linked to Iran, according to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Nida Al Watan.
Finance ministers from the G7 and partner nations met in Washington on Monday to discuss a potential price floor for strategic rare-earth metals and ways to secure their supply. Representatives from Australia, Mexico, South Korea and India also attended the talks.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said allied nations are discussing “next steps” to ensure the security of the Arctic, citing concerns that Russia and China could become more active in the strategically important region.
Apple will use Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence models for its revamped Siri voice assistant later this year, in a multi-year deal that strengthens the tech giants’ partnership and boosts Alphabet’s position in the race against OpenAI.
Donald Trump said Monday that any country doing business with Iran will face a 25% U.S. tariff on all trade with the United States, with the measure taking effect immediately.
Real Madrid have parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso, appointing former defender Álvaro Arbeloa as his replacement.
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