China expanded its influence in the Indo-Pacific through diplomatic outreach, infrastructure investment, and coordinated security efforts—hosting delegations, deepening economic

The Southeast Asian trade bloc has invited China and several Arab states to a joint summit in Kuala Lumpur in May. However, Anwar's plan for a trade alliance between ASEAN, China, and the resource-rich,

Cordial relations with Beijing and long-standing US ties may no longer be sufficient for supply chains to survive.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has hit out at those who advise him “not to travel too much”, saying they are clearly unaware of the hard work he has done to attract investment into the country. Bernama reported him as saying in Hanoi,

Former Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop listens to Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim deliver the 2024 Gareth Evans Oration at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, in March 2024 (Photo: EPA)

The Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. foreign aid apparatus has created a vacuum that China is rapidly filling, increasing its influence and soft power in regions like Southeast Asia.

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has roped in former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra as his informal adviser on ASEAN affairs. This might be ill-advised, says ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Napon Jatusripitak.

Russian Security Council chief Sergei Shoigu arrived in Beijing on Friday for high-level meetings with Chinese leadership, Russian news agencies reported. "During the one-day visit, [Shoigu] is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Foreign Minister Wang Yi,

Every member state will take the approach deemed important to their respective list of priorities, but to reach ASEAN consensus is equally important. “Cambodia, for example,

Malaysia has reaffirmed the importance of maintaining stability in the South China Sea, ensuring compliance with international law, and accelerating negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC).

Amid a resurgence of rising tariffs and competition for power, geopolitical and global economic uncertainty is on the rise. However, the China Conference: Southeast Asia 2025 sent a message of reassurance,