Malaysian leader urges US to adopt more active ASEAN trade agenda

Yaakob told a forum of U.S. businesses and other ASEAN leaders the COVID-19 pandemic had made clear the importance of international trade and cooperation and the interlinkage of regional supply chains.

WASHINGTON: Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday urged the United States to adopt a more active trade and investment agenda with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), saying this would benefit Washington economically and strategically.

Speaking in Washington, where ASEAN leaders are gathered for a two-day summit with President Joe Biden, Yaakob made clear some of the frustration felt in Asia since former President Donald Trump quit a regional trade pact in 2017.