Kuala lumpur: United States President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz In¡cio Lula da Silva, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are among the world leaders expected to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia this October, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Anwar, who represents Malaysia as the ASEAN Chair, confirmed that positive confirmations have been received from Lula and Ramaphosa, while Trump has indicated his participation following a recent phone conversation. Anwar emphasized the importance of ensuring that these leaders leave Malaysia and ASEAN feeling their time was well spent, with the goal of achieving results of lasting value.
Anwar made these remarks during his address at the 58th ASEAN Day celebration, which coincided with the 58th anniversary of ASEAN's founding, themed "Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable ASEAN Future." He stated that anniversaries serve as opportunities to reassess the bloc's progress and future journey.
As the ASEAN Chair for 2025, Malaysia will host the summit in Kuala Lumpur under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability," gathering leaders from the 10-member bloc and dialogue partners to discuss regional security, economic cooperation, and pressing global issues. Anwar highlighted the enduring vision and contributions of past ASEAN leaders, who prioritized regional needs and global cooperation despite post-independence challenges and geopolitical tensions.
Anwar cautioned against dismissing the foundational motivations of ASEAN's founding fathers, who prioritized regional amity and cooperation while ensuring Southeast Asia's primary responsibility for its peace, security, and prosperity. He emphasized the continued relevance of these principles today.
The Prime Minister pointed out the recent escalation along the Cambodian-Thai border as a reminder of the potential for tensions to rise swiftly if left unresolved. He praised the ceasefire agreement between the two countries, achieved with full support from ASEAN leaders, and acknowledged Malaysia's constructive role in facilitating talks between the nations.
ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration by its five founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The bloc was formed to promote regional peace, stability, and cooperation amid post-colonial challenges and Cold War tensions. ASEAN has since expanded to 10 countries, with Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia joining over the years, and Timor-Leste was admitted in principle in 2022.
Today, ASEAN boasts a combined population of over 680 million and a GDP exceeding USD3.6 trillion (2024), making it the world's fifth-largest economy. It operates through consensus and non-interference, focusing on political-security cooperation, economic integration, and socio-cultural collaboration under the ASEAN Community framework established in 2015.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar were among those present at the event.