Leaders of ASEAN and the Plus Three partners — China, Japan and South Korea — pose for a group photo with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the 28th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2025
By TENGKU NOOR SHAMSIAH TENGKU ABDULLAH
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged ASEAN and its Plus Three partners—China, Japan and South Korea—to strengthen cooperation in facing shared challenges, highlighting the resilience of the 28-year-old framework as a cornerstone of East Asia’s stability.
Opening the 28th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Anwar welcomed regional dignitaries including Motegi Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and Coordinator for the Plus Three Countries, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung, who attended the summit for the first time.
“Nearly three decades on, the ASEAN Plus Three remains one of the most enduring frameworks for dialogue and cooperation,” Anwar said. “Born in the wake of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, the APT has prevailed over other crises such as the 2008 financial crisis and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic.
Turning Crises Into Opportunities
The Malaysian leader underscored that the APT experience demonstrated how shared challenges could be transformed into opportunities. He called for member countries to “double down on engagement and cooperation” as key to ensuring regional stability.
Anwar also emphasised the need to move forward with the APT Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies (APTRMS) to prepare the region for future health crises.
Leaders of ASEAN and the Plus Three partners in discussion during the 28th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Kuala Lumpur, 27 October 2025
Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity
Calling for a fairer and more inclusive East Asia, Anwar said that prosperity must be “widely shared” and that progress should “bring peace.” He highlighted the importance of preparing youth and women to thrive in a region that aspires to be sustainable, interconnected and inclusive.
“We must ensure that growth is fair, prosperity is widely shared, and progress brings peace,” he said. “We must prepare our youth and women for an East Asia region that is sustainable, inclusive and interconnected.”
About ASEAN Plus Three (APT)
The ASEAN Plus Three process comprises the ten ASEAN Member States plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. It began in December 1997 in the aftermath of the Asian Financial Crisis and was institutionalised by the 1999 Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation. Since then, APT has become a vital platform for regional dialogue and cooperation in finance, food security, energy, health, education and disaster management.
Economic Weight of the APT
- In 2019, APT trade reached US$ 890.2 billion, about 31.6 % of ASEAN’s total merchandise trade.
- ASEAN’s combined GDP was reported to approach US$ 4 trillion in late 2025.
- China, Japan and South Korea together have a combined GDP many times larger than ASEAN’s, positioning the APT grouping as a heavyweight bloc covering more than 2 billion people.
Looking Ahead
The Prime Minister expressed optimism that the APT process would continue to serve as a “cradle of stability, opportunity and hope” for the region, reinforcing East Asia’s role as one of the world’s most dynamic and forward-looking regions.
The summit, running in parallel with the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, is expected to deepen discussions on regional economic cooperation, health security and geopolitical stability. – TNS NEWS