KUALA LUMPUR: Asean must take a more assertive and unified stance as intensifying great power rivalry and a weakening multilateral system risk marginalising the region in decisions that shape its future, speakers said at a high-level conference in London on Tuesday.
The conference, “Asean at the Geopolitical Crossroads”, was jointly organised by LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific (KSI), and the Asean Business Club (ABC), bringing together leaders from government, business and academia from Asean and the United Kingdom.
Opening the conference, LSE president and vice-chancellor Professor Larry Kramer and Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, chairman of the Malaysia Investment Development Authority, emphasised that a fragmented global order demands stronger and closer trade relations.
A policy report with strategic recommendations will be presented to Asean Leaders at the Asean Summit in May 2026.
“We need an Asean, but we need a strengthened ASEAN for the times we are in,” ABC president Tan Sri Dr Munir Majid said.
Panel discussions centred on how Asean should respond to rising protectionism, manage external power competition, and leverage opportunities for deeper UK–Asean cooperation in areas such as trade, technology and education.
The conference also featured the UK–Asean Business Excellence Awards, which recognised prominent regional business leaders, including Tan Sri Francis Yeoh of YTL Corp Bhd
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