Asean opens summit with Gulf nations, China amid Trump tariffs threat

A regional association of Southeast Asian nations is set to hold a three-way summit Tuesday with China and six Gulf countries in what officials called an effort to bolster economic resilience as they grapple with global volatility and US tariffs.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, opening a summit in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur between the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Gulf Cooperation Council, said a stronger Asean-GCC relationship would be key to enhancing interregional collaboration, building resilience and securing sustainable prosperity.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will join the two blocs in their first such meeting later Tuesday, as Beijing seeks to present itself as a reliable ally to the region.

I believe the Asean-GCC partnership has never been more important than it is today, as we navigate an increasingly complex global landscape marked by economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges, Anwar said.

Malaysia is the current chair of Asean, which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah said the two blocs, which held their first summit in Riyadh in 2023, would build on their momentum to deepen cooperation and improve our ability to face crisis. He said the GCC is Asean's seventh largest trade partner, with total trade reaching $130.7 billion in 2023.

The GCC comprises the oil-producing nations of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Anwar said last week the GCC already has strong links with the US and wants to be close to China too.

Asean has maintained a policy of neutrality, engaging both Beijing and the United States, but US President Donald Trump's threats sweeping tariffs came as a blow. Six of the bloc's members were among the worst hit, with tariffs between 32% and 49%.

Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs in April for most of the world, and this month struck a similar deal with key rival China, easing trade war tensions. Anwar is seeking an Asean summit with Trump on the tariffs.

Collins Chong Yew Keat, a foreign affairs, strategy and security analyst with Universiti Malaya, said Asean is seen as tilting towards China and has failed to take strong action against Beijing's aggression in the disputed South China Sea. Asean members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims with China, which asserts sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea.

While relying on US defence support, Asean is increasing reliance and partnership with China and other US rivals, Chong said.

If this continues under the current Trump administration, it will create further room for Washington to distance itself from the region, which will spell disaster and create an even deeper Chinese presence, he said.