ASEAN needs to integrate further: Malaysia

Southeast Asian nations must accelerate regional economic integration, diversify their markets and stay united to tackle the fallout from global trade disruptions resulting from sweeping US tariff hikes, Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said Sunday.

Mohamad, opening a meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also reiterated the bloc’s call to warring parties in Myanmar to cease hostilities in a deadly civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions of people since a 2021 government takeover by the military.

“ASEAN nations are among those most heavily affected by the US-imposed tariffs. The US–China trade war is dramatically disrupting production and trade patterns worldwide. A global economic slowdown is likely to happen,” Mohamad said.

“We must seize this moment to deepen regional economic integration, so that we can better shield our region from external shocks.”

ASEAN countries, many of which rely on exports to the US, are reeling from tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration ranging from 10% to 49%. Six of the association’s 10 member nations were among the worst-hit with tarrifs ranging from 32% to 49%. This would likely affect ASEAN’s targeted growth forecast of 4.7% this year, trade officials said.

ASEAN has not been able to secure a meeting with the US as a bloc. But when US President Donald Trump last month announced a 90-day pause on the tariffs, countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam swiftly began negotiations with the US.