June 17, 2025 – Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
The recent ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — held against the backdrop of rising U.S. protectionism and U.S. President Donald Trump’s second-term tariffs — was an opportunity for Southeast Asian nations to coalesce and deepen their existing trade and economic ties.
The theme of Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN chairmanship is ‘inclusivity and sustainability,’ with an emphasis on ASEAN centrality and economic integration. At their May 26–27 Summit, ASEAN leaders adopted and signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, a 20-year roadmap to guide the bloc in navigating global ‘megatrends’ while reinforcing its role as a community.