China in Focus as ASEAN Pushes Back on U.S. Tariffs at Kuala Lumpur Summit

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (C) speaks during the plenary session at the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 26, 2025. (Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP)

By Jan Hennop and Isabelle Leong

Southeast Asian leaders met Monday in Kuala Lumpur for their first summit since U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs upended global economic norms, with the trade-dependent nations expected to issue a joint message of deep concern.

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