Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sharply criticized the use of trade tariffs as geopolitical tools during the opening of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on July 9.
The three-day event, which includes high-level talks with representatives from the United States, China, and Russia, is expected to focus on escalating trade tensions and regional conflicts.
Speaking at the conference’s opening ceremony, Anwar warned that instruments once used to foster economic growth were now being employed to isolate and pressure nations. Although he did not mention any specific country by name, his remarks came amid growing concern over the United States’ trade stance under President Donald Trump.
On Monday, Trump announced that starting August 1, the US would impose 25 percent tariffs on goods from key allies, including Japan, South Korea, and several Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Laos. Vietnam, also a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has reached a provisional understanding with Washington to avoid the full brunt of these levies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday for two days of meetings, including a post-ministerial conference and discussions with East Asian foreign ministers. Washington has maintained that it remains committed to engagement with Southeast Asia, even as fears of a trade war intensify.
Beyond trade issues, the ASEAN meeting is addressing ongoing regional crises, including the civil conflict in Myanmar, where over 6,000 people have been killed and millions displaced. The summit also takes place amid a simmering territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
Anwar called on ASEAN’s ten member states to demonstrate unity in the face of external pressures and internal divisions. He emphasized the need for the bloc to back its statements with concrete institutional and economic actions. Malaysia currently holds the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN.
