ASEAN Summit Advocates Dialogue, Rejects External Interference in South China Sea

October 27, 2025 - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged Asia-Pacific leaders to choose dialogue over coercion and cooperation over confrontation as he opened the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur. "Today we must renew our shared purpose, promote principles of forward-looking engagement. We continue to advocate for dialogue over coercion...and cooperation over confrontation. We affirm our stand on global peace and security, for multilateralism and international law," Anwar stated in his opening remarks. On the South China Sea issue, Anwar expressed his consistent position that the matter should be resolved within ASEAN and its regional partners, warning that outside pressure could escalate tensions and urging all parties to respect international law.

The East Asia Summit is a regional forum between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its key partners — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States — to discuss political, security and economic challenges. The U.S. delegation was expected to emphasize freedom of navigation and economic security, while China, represented by Premier Li Qiang, would likely underscore sovereignty and connectivity projects.