Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan has called on Asean member states to urgently strengthen regional economic integration and collective resilience amid intensifying global disruptions, including the US-China trade war, climate change and rapid technological shifts.
He said Asean nations were among those most affected by US-imposed tariffs, indicating that superpower competition and resulting shifts in the global order have disrupted the regional landscape.
Mohamad said there was a need for the bloc to approach the issue collectively and take on an active role in weathering the turbulence of the coming years.
“We must seize this moment to deepen regional economic integration so that we can better shield our region from external shocks.
“As we advance our community-building efforts, we must confront the reality that reducing the income disparities within Asean must be viewed as a priority,” he said at the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
He said member states must continue to enhance the mechanisms that facilitate intra-Asean trade.
“By tailoring them to our member states’ unique strengths, we can address uneven economic growth within this grouping. Diversifying our partnerships will also empower us to handle future shocks that come from external economic factors.”
Mohamad highlighted that around the world, temperatures and sea levels are rising.
“These issues are expected to hit Southeast Asia particularly hard. The low-lying countries of our region are exposed to rising sea levels.
“Our already warm climate may see an increase in extreme weather events and overwhelm public health infrastructure if temperatures continue to climb.”
He also spoke on artificial intelligence which is evolving faster than any government can respond.
“And our populations, which enjoy high internet penetration rates, are vulnerable to the malevolent use of AI and other unregulated, disruptive tech,” he said, adding that these shared issues highlight a need for Asean members to act as a collective.
Mohamad said Asean centrality must remain the region’s guiding compass in engaging with the world and managing complex global relationships.
“This centrality will continue to be tested. It is therefore crucial that we reinforce the ties that bind us so that they do not unravel under external pressures. For Asean, unity is now more important than ever.”
He said there was a need to continue promoting a model grounded in dialogue, cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with an increasingly polarised world.
“We must think seriously about how we can constructively and positively contribute to global developments and evolution. This includes speaking out firmly as one voice on issues of peace, justice, equality, humanity and international law,” he said.
