Southeast Asia Engages China, Middle East in Landmark Summit

Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern leaders pose at the ASEAN gathering in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is reaching out to China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain) to improve trade ties as it faces ongoing trade tensions with the United States.

Leaders met in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday for a rare trilateral summit bringing together three Global South economic development nodes. They will reportedly form a working group to enhance economic collaboration. The last few years have seen the rapid increase of Chinese trade and investment in both regions.

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by CGSP Staff

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