Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
May 25-27, 2025

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. embarks on a trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to participate in the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit from May 25 to 27, 2025.

With the theme, ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, the 46th ASEAN Summit chaired by Malaysia reflects the aspiration for shared progress, ensuring that no one is left behind. It also underscores the regional bloc’s commitment towards strengthening peace, stability and prosperity within an inclusive, sustainable and future-oriented framework.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Summit serves as a mechanism for Leaders to provide policy direction for ASEAN, build consensus on matters of mutual interest, and exchange views on key regional and international issues.

The President is expected to attend nine (9) Leaders-level engagements, including the 46th ASEAN Summit Plenary Session and Retreat Session, three (3) Leaders’ interface meetings with the parliamentarians with the ASEAN-Business Advisory Council (BAC) and representatives from ASEAN Youth, signing ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045, and 16th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit that is chaired by the Chief Executive.

In conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit, he is also attending the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit — which aims to strengthen the framework of cooperation between the ASEAN and GCC towards enhancing various areas of mutual concerns including energy security, food stability and economic cooperation, to name a few — and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.

The inaugural Summit highlights China’s important role in supporting a trilateral cooperation with the ASEAN and GCC countries through its Belt and Road Initiative, investment in renewable energy in the Gulf and infrastructure support in Southeast Asia. This growing triangle of cooperation is believed to contribute to achieving sustainable development, economic resilience and regional stability.

Spearheaded by the Malaysian Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, these Forums offer a unique opportunity for government and business leaders from three of the world’s most dynamic regions — Southeast Asia, the Gulf and China — to share insights on the increasingly complex economic and geopolitical landscape.

On the sidelines of these Summits, the DFA shares that President Marcos Jr. is also set to hold a number of bilateral meetings with his counterparts.

* * *