China Backs ASEAN Nuclear Weapon-Free Treaty, U.S. in Review

China backs ASEAN Nuclear Weapon Free Treaty, pressure builds on U.S.
Malaysia's Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Hasan delivers his keynote address during the 58th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur on July 9, 2025. China backs ASEAN Nuclear Weapon Free Treaty, pressure builds on U.S. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP)

China has expressed its willingness to sign the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty without reservations in a move that may signal renewed diplomatic momentum for one of the world’s least-recognized nuclear-free zones.

The offer, confirmed by Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan during the SEANWFZ Commission Meeting on Tuesday, has renewed ASEAN’s push to secure broader commitments from all five Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), particularly the United States, which has yet to finalize its position.

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by Edwin Shri Bimo

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