ASEAN, comprising ten member countries, has a population exceeding 700 million and covers an area of approximately 4.5 million square kilometres. As the fifth-largest economy globally, ASEAN's GDP reached around 3.8 trillion USD in 2023.
Given this foundation, ASEAN plays an increasingly significant role in promoting peace, stability, and development both regionally and globally.
During the ASEAN Summit in Laos in October 2024, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the considerable challenges in maintaining intra-bloc unity along with ASEAN's central role amid intensifying great power competition and ongoing regional instability.
As chair in 2025, Malaysia is committed to steering ASEAN towards ensuring regional peace, stability, and prosperity, reinforcing ASEAN's centrality, and enhancing strategic trust among member states through practical dialogues and cooperation while promoting intra-regional trade and investment.
Ensuring that “inclusivity” and “sustainability” are central to the ASEAN Community-building process is also a top priority for Malaysia.
Currently, intra-ASEAN trade accounts for only a quarter of the total trade volume with major global economies. Therefore, Malaysia views the goal of doubling intra-ASEAN trade as crucial — not only to strengthen economic cooperation but also to reduce dependence on external markets and enhance regional economic resilience.
Additionally, Malaysia plans to advance key initiatives such as the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) to elevate the region's digital economy market value to 1 trillion USD by 2030.
Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Amran Mohamed Zin recently stated that the ASEAN chairmanship not only involves organising summits but also various activities aimed at engaging different societal sectors.
A total of 357 activities are planned for 2025, including 14 summits with participation from leaders and representatives of member states and partners.
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Heads of delegations and delegates at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat. (Photo: VNA) |
The 46th ASEAN Summit alongside the ASEAN- Gulf Cooperation Council - China Summit is scheduled for the mid-year, while the 47th ASEAN Summit will take place later in the year. These summits are critical in evaluating past achievements and setting a vision for building the ASEAN Community while fostering relations with partners.
The host country aims to enhance understanding of Malaysia while providing opportunities for local communities to raise awareness about ASEAN and benefit from business and tourism collaboration prospects.
Activities throughout this year are expected to take place in Langkawi, Penang, and other locations as an opportunity for Malaysia to promote its image.
A total of 29 programmes have been specifically designed to benefit micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), farmers, youths, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and children.
Additional initiatives include the ASEAN+3 Forum aimed at empowering rural women, an ASEAN youth summit, and an international halal exhibition in Malaysia.
According to Secretary-General Amran Mohamed Zin, these activities align with the vision of a people-centred ASEAN Community under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’.
Malaysia has previously successfully assumed the ASEAN Chair and hosted its summits in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. The current chairmanship is expected to lead to success, guiding the association forward in seizing opportunities while overcoming challenges to meet expectations and deliver practical benefits for the citizens of member countries.