From negotiations on trade and supply chains to the architecture of regional security and the expansion of the bloc itself, the summit marked an inflection point in Asean’s attempt to navigate rising power competition while reinforcing its internal cohesion and outward-looking agenda.
Inclusivity and sustainability
Timor-Leste’s long-awaited accession as Asean’s 11th member marked a defining moment for the bloc, highlighting its commitment to inclusivity while testing its institutional depth.
Joanne Lin, senior fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, said Timor-Leste’s full admission was “more than just symbolic” and completes the Southeast Asian map after 14 years.
“Its membership is a powerful affirmation of Asean’s commitment to inclusivity, which is Malaysia’s chairmanship theme, and regional identity this year,” she told FMT.
Inclusivity also extended beyond Southeast Asia. Finland’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) signalled Asean’s growing global reach.
Established in 1976, the TAC remains Asean’s key diplomatic framework for building trust among partners within and beyond the region.
Foreign minister Mohamad Hasan said Finland’s accession links Southeast Asia and Europe through shared ideals, mutual trust, and a common vision for an inclusive and rule-based international order.
Regional peace and security
The signing of the Kuala Lumpur Accord between Thailand and Cambodia stood out as one of the summit’s most tangible outcomes, committing both countries to an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from contested zones, and the launch of joint de-mining operations.
The agreement, witnessed by the US and Malaysia, underscored Asean’s quiet but persistent role as a stabilising forum.
In an interview with FMT, Thai foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Asean’s spirit of unity helped pave the way for a thaw in the tense relations between Thailand and Cambodia in recent months.
Myanmar’s crisis, meanwhile, continued to dominate the summit’s security agenda.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the junta had agreed to Asean’s conditions under its Five-Point Consensus (5PC), including an immediate ceasefire, and the cessation of bombings.
He noted “relative progress” over the past year, though sporadic violence persists. The renewed engagement suggests that while Asean’s 5PC remains imperfectly implemented, it continues to anchor the bloc’s collective approach to Myanmar.
Economic cooperation and trade
The summit witnessed the upgrading of multiple strategic frameworks, signalling a reassertion of American interest in Southeast Asia amid geo-economic competition with China.
“The US is with you 100%, and we intend to be a strong partner and friend for many generations to come. Together, we’ll create incredible prosperity for the nations on both sides of the Pacific Ocean and to seize new opportunities for all of our people,” US president Donald Trump said at the 13th Asean-US Summit.
Malaysia and the US formalised a Reciprocal Trade Agreement on the sidelines, under which the US retained 19% tariffs on most Malaysian exports yet granted tariff exemptions to no fewer than 1,711 distinct product lines.
Investment, trade and industry minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the trade agreement is expected to strengthen Malaysia’s policy predictability and business stability, which he described as critical for attracting and retaining foreign investment.
Malaysia also pledged preferential market access for US industrial exports (chemicals, machinery, metals, vehicles) alongside agricultural goods (dairy, poultry, beverages, rice, fuel-ethanol).
The two governments also signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals cooperation, an initiative pitched explicitly as enhancing supply-chain resilience amid US-China fault-lines.
Malaysia also committed not to impose export restrictions on critical minerals or rare earths destined for the US, and to broaden collaboration with US firms in this sector.
Yet, these moves did not proceed unchallenged. Asean upgraded its trade architecture with China via the Asean-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, reaffirming regional economic integration with the bloc’s largest external partner.
In his opening remarks at the 28th Asean-China summit, Chinese premier Li Qiang issued a cautionary note on “economic coercion” and “bullying”, widely interpreted as a thinly-veiled jab of US tariff-driven policy.
Meanwhile, Asean and its partners reaffirmed their regional agency through the 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Summit, where leaders renewed their commitment to deepening economic integration under a transparent, fair and rules-based multilateral trading system.
Discussions included the creation of a permanent secretariat to provide technical support and monitor compliance, underscoring Asean’s push for institutional strength and self-reliance in regional trade governance.