Premier emphasises regional cooperation during summits
KUALA LUMPUR: From the main plenary halls to the glitzy trade side meetings, China made its presence felt at the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits.
Arriving in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, Premier Li Qiang attended the 28th Asean-China Summit, the 28th Asean Plus Three Summit, the 20th East Asia Summit and the 5th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Leaders’ Summit – signalling China’s deep engagement in both the political and economic dimensions of the region.
Ahead of the Asean-China Summit, the upgraded Asean-China Free Trade Area 3.0 (ACFTA 3.0) protocol was signed, further cementing China’s position as Asean’s largest trading partner.
At the summit, Li underscored the importance of unity and resilience in the face of global headwinds.
“Unity is strength. Unilateralism and protectionism have seriously impacted the global economic and trade order, while external forces are increasing their interference in the region. Many countries have been unreasonably subjected to high tariffs,” he said.
He warned that amid complex changes in international economic and trade structures, especially the disruptions from high tariffs, East Asia must resist protectionism and avoid “the law of the jungle” where the strong dominate.
Asean remains China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling 6.41 trillion yuan in 2023 and rising to 6.99 trillion yuan in 2024.
The new ACFTA 3.0 is expected to deepen supply-chain integration, lower costs for Asean exporters and provide China with more stable outlets for its goods.
By calling for greater coordination, China signalled its intent to align with Asean’s centrality as the region navigates between major powers, giving smaller nations greater leverage and choice.
Li’s emphasis on resisting external interference and high tariffs also highlights China’s pitch as a partner for open trade amid growing global fragmentation.
At the Asean Plus Three and East Asia Summits, Li called for the implementation of China President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative, which stresses sovereignty, rules-based multilateralism and joint responses to global uncertainty.
By advocating shared regional leadership instead of exclusive blocs, China seeks to strengthen Asean’s middle-ground role, allowing South-East Asian nations to chart their own course with greater autonomy.
During the RCEP Leaders’ Summit – representing more than 30% of global GDP – Li urged members to keep markets open and remove trade barriers.
Enhanced RCEP cooperation, he said, could help smaller Asean economies tap China’s vast market and build resilience against supply-chain shocks.
Meanwhile, China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng and Vice Minister of Commerce and lead trade negotiator Li Chenggang also held bilateral talks with their US counterparts on the sidelines of the Asean Summit, reinforcing the message that China seeks economic de-escalation even as it pushes regional integration.
Beyond the multilateral setting, Li met senior Asean leaders to reinforce bilateral ties spanning infrastructure, investment and the digital economy.
These engagements underscored China’s dual-track diplomacy, combining broad regional messaging with concrete national partnerships.
China didn’t just attend the summit, it helped shape the narrative.
With Li’s calls for unity, openness and coordination, and the trade boost via ACFTA 3.0, the message is clear: the region’s future lies in integration, not fragmentation.
Whether Asean nations can translate these pledges into tangible action, however, will determine how far that vision can go.
