ASEAN leaders adhere to a balanced approach in relations with partners based on international law and mutual benefit

Kuala Lumpur -- Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed on Sunday to adhere to a balanced approach in the bloc’s relations with its partners and to enhance cooperation with them based on international law and mutual benefit, while preserving ASEAN’s central role in the region. This came at the conclusion of the plenary session of the 49th ASEAN Summit and related summits held in the capital, Manila, where the Philippines holds the ASEAN chairmanship this year.

The leaders also agreed that ASEAN should proactively develop its relations with partners and leverage existing cooperation mechanisms to consolidate a culture of consultation, dialogue, and confidence-building, and to promote preventive diplomacy in service of peace, stability, and cooperation in the region. They stressed the need to maintain ASEAN’s unity and central role in the face of geopolitical fluctuations, and to intensify efforts to address security challenges, including online fraud, human trafficking, and illicit drug trafficking.

They noted that ASEAN continued this year to consolidate and expand its external relations, enhance maritime cooperation, and counter transnational threats, basing its efforts to safeguard peace, security, and stability on the principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. The leaders pointed out that ASEAN’s progress in strengthening its resilience has helped it deal proactively with “shocks,” particularly the repercussions of the crisis in the Middle East.

They emphasized the need to facilitate trade, make use of existing free trade agreements, and explore the possibility of concluding new agreements with potential partners. They also stressed the importance of securing supply chains and enhancing energy, food, and water security, alongside the development of sustainable agriculture.

During the summit, leaders adopted and took note of approximately 87 documents outlining cooperation priorities across ASEAN’s three pillars, including strategic trade management to ensure regional trade security, the use of artificial intelligence to support the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises, enhancing the region’s resilience and oil supply security, and an initiative to strengthen the role of law enforcement agencies in member states in disaster preparedness, response, and emergency relief.

ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967, with five founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Its membership later expanded to include Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, and then East Timor, which officially joined in October 2025, bringing the total number of member states to 11.

ASEAN maintains formal dialogue relations with 12 partners, including the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and the European Union. These partnerships aim to enhance political, security, economic, and technological cooperation and to coordinate positions on regional and international issues.

The association also maintains sectoral dialogue partnerships with 10 countries: the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Brazil, Morocco, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Pakistan, South Africa, and Switzerland, covering cooperation in trade, investment, energy, technology, and development. Additionally, five other countries hold the status of development partners: France, Italy, the Netherlands, Chile, and Peru, with the aim of supporting development projects and capacity-building. (End) AAB / MSA