What to expect at the Asean summit
The 47th Asean Summit meeting this week, hosted under Malaysia’s chairmanship, comes at a time when global competition is reshaping the political and economic map of the Indo-Pacific region.
As one of the few platforms where rival powers still sit under one roof, the summit will test Asean’s ability to navigate great-power rivalry, strengthen economic resilience and keep its people-centred agenda credible.
The bloc’s convening power will again be on full display, drawing leaders from across Asia and beyond – including newly elected heads of government and the return of a familiar face whose presence guarantees international attention.
Trump’s return
US president Donald Trump’s return to the Asean stage – his first since 2017 – is set to dominate the optics of the summit.
According to Joanne Lin of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore,…
