New york: Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan announced that the documentation process for China to sign the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) protocol is on track. The minister shared insights into the progress, indicating that the signing of the protocol will be an extended procedure.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad highlighted the positive developments, noting China's readiness to sign the SEANWFZ protocol without any conditions, an action welcomed by ASEAN. He mentioned that following China's decision, other countries, including the United States, have shown interest in signing the protocol unconditionally.

Mohamad addressed these developments during a press conference at the Permanent Mission of Malaysia to the United Nations after delivering Malaysia's National Statement at the General Debate of the 2025 United Nations General Assembly. At the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in July, he affirmed China's commitment to sign the SEANWFZ Treaty unconditionally once all necessary documentation is finalized.

The SEANWFZ Treaty, also referred to as the Bangkok Treaty, was initially signed in December 1995 by ASEAN member states to establish Southeast Asia as a nuclear-weapon-free zone, devoid of weapons of mass destruction. The treaty became effective in March 1997 and is one of five Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones worldwide, alongside zones in Latin America, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Africa, and Central Asia.