Malaysia as 2025 Asean chair: a test of diplomacy, regional cohesion – and its China ties – Technologist

Joanne Lin Weiling, an associate senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Institute in Singapore, noted the traditional role Malaysia has played in promoting regional diplomacy.

The country’s recent application to join Brics was welcomed by Beijing, which said it seeks “like-minded partners”.

Former Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah was a vocal advocate for a stronger Asean response to Myanmar and previously met with representatives of the National Unity Government, a shadow administration that opposes the ruling military junta.

China has been Malaysia’s top trading partner since 2009, with bilateral trade reaching US$98.8 billion last year, accounting for 17 per cent of the Southeast Asian nation’s total trade.

While Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship and interest in Brics both reflect its aim to promote economic and political cooperation, Dinarto said the objectives and dynamics of the two differ significantly.

Chairing Asean allows Malaysia to reaffirm its role as a key regional player after the years of political upheaval that followed the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition being ousted in the 2018 elections. By contrast, joining Brics represents a strategic move to strengthen ties with rising powers like China, India, and Russia amid rising geopolitical tensions between Beijing and the West.

“Overall, Malaysia’s leadership will be tested as it carefully navigates between pursuing its national interests and fulfilling its responsibilities as next year’s chair,” Dinarto said.

Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations in the US, noted that while Malaysia “may make for a decent host”, Anwar’s challenging domestic political landscape could undermine his foreign policy effectiveness within Asean and beyond. He said Malaysia is not positioned to accomplish more than previous Asean chairs, citing both internal challenges and the overall weakness of the bloc.

Domestic challenges for Anwar include attracting investment, implementing economic reforms and addressing long-standing corruption issues, Kurlantzick said in a June blog post for the Council on Foreign Relations.

“In recent years, it [Asean] has done so little on key issues like Myanmar and the South China Sea that it has lost much credibility as a regional organisation, regardless of who is chair,” he said.