KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) summit has taken on special significance as the first meeting of RCEP leaders since the agreement was signed in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In his opening remarks, Anwar highlighted the region’s strong recovery in trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges, reflecting the resilience and shared prosperity that underpin the RCEP framework.
“Once again, we meet at a pivotal moment, and the strategic importance of this meeting is clearer than ever. Let us seize this opportunity to engage in open and forward-looking dialogue.
“By working together, we can achieve meaningful outcomes and ensure that we lay the foundation for lasting peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Earlier today, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s message, delivered by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, urged Asean to leverage the RCEP as a platform to strengthen resilience and promote rules-based trade across the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking at the 2025 Asean-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) today, he emphasised that regional integration and cooperation are crucial for ensuring long-term prosperity and stability.
“We must intensify cooperation and joint efforts to strengthen regional integration, using RCEP as a platform to enhance resilience and promote rules-based trade.
“This partnership should also remain open to other countries wishing to join RCEP,” Prabowo added.
At the same time, Prabowo emphasised that Asean must accelerate the transition towards green and sustainable energy through joint initiatives such as the Asean Carbon Framework and the Asean Power Grid.
