The ongoing ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related summits in Malaysia's capital offer a vital neutral platform for major powers to engage in constructive dialog, said a Malaysian scholar, as foreign ministers from China, the United States, Russia and other nations gather amid growing regional tensions.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are among the high-profile attendees at the week-long meetings at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, which include all ASEAN members except Myanmar.
University Malaysia Sabah associate professor Lai Yew Meng emphasized the unique value of the East Asia Summit format.
Lai noted that "unlike other forums that risk being dominated by great power agendas, this ASEAN-convened platform maintains balanced space for genuine dialog."
The scholar's comments come as the meetings address multiple challenges including pending U.S. tariffs affecting several ASEAN economies, Myanmar's ongoing civil conflict, and broader geopolitical tensions from Ukraine to the Middle East.
ASEAN meetings provide crucial neutral ground amid rising tensions: scholar
