27/10/2025

Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: sunbiz@thesundaily.com Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: advertise@thesundaily.com

SCAN ME

MONDAY | OCT 27, 2025

‘EU, Asean must continue to deepen ties’

He said international law must prevail, reaffirming the EU’s commit ment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and to protecting the sovereignty of all nations. Meanwhile, Costa congratulated Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on his leadership in brokering the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand in July, adding that it is a demonstration of Asean’s commitment to peace stability and dialogue. He also congratulated Anwar on the successful chairmanship of Asean this year and expressed appreciation on the Prime Minister’s invitation to the EU to participate at the summit for the first time. In addition, Costa congratulated Asean on the inclusion of Timor Leste as its 11th member state, calling it an important milestone in fostering Timor-Leste’s economic and political interdependence and in streng thening regional integration. – Bernama

earlier agreements with Singapore and Vietnam, while negotiations with Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia are progressing well. He said the EU’s re affirmed its support at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels for key regional connectivity projects, including the Asean

amid

today’s

shifting

o Timely opportunity to strengthen collaboration and work towards achieving comprehensive strategic partnership by 2027, says European Council president

geopolitical landscape. “We live in a multipolar world marked by growing fragmentation and uncer tainty, and so it is therefore crucial that we weave a global network of co operation across regions, that we strengthen our partnership,” he said. He added that the EU is Asean’s third-largest trading partner and its third-largest

KUALA LUMPUR: The European Union (EU) and Asean must continue to deepen their partnership towards achieving a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by 2027, said European Council President Antonio Costa ( pic ). He said the upcoming 50th anniversary of EU-Asean relations in 2027 presents a timely opportunity to strengthen collaboration by addressing shared challenges such as climate change, ocean protection and tech nological transformation. He said this includes exploring new areas of cooperation in digitalisation, security and education. KUALA LUMPUR: The Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) and the Chile-Asean Business Council signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday to strengthen business-to business relations. The agreement is aimed at esta blishing a formal cooperation framework while unlocking new trade and invest ment opportunities between Asean and Chile. The MoU was signed by Rodrigo Yáñez, secretary-general of the Confederation of Chilean Industry and representative of the Chile-Asean Business Council, together with Asean-BAC chairman Tan Sri Nazir Razak. The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the ongoing Asean Business and Investment Summit 2025. The partnership marks Asean-BAC’s first collaboration with a South American nation and establishes the Chile-Asean Business Council as the main platform for business cooperation and market access facilitation between the two regions. “The council will serve as a conduit for regular exchange of market intelligence, organisation of business delegations, and joint coordination of trade forums and investment roundtables,” it said. Nazir said the partnership with Chile marks a pivotal step in deepening Asean’s global economic ties, opening new frontiers for trade, investment and collaboration. He added that the Chile Asean Business Council would serve as a platform to drive two-way economic engagement and strengthen integration under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. “Chile’s resources and innovation, coupled with Asean’s dynamism and market scale, create complementarities that can elevate both regions’ roles in global value chains,” Nazir said. Meanwhile, Yanez said the MoU represents a historic milestone in the

“Our partnership is long-term and strategic. Together, we can build a future of peace, prosperity, and stability. You can count on the European Union as a reliable, predictable and trustworthy partner. “We wish you a successful summit and look forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of EU-Asean relations in 2027,” he said in his remarks at the 47th Asean Summit (Plenary) and the Handover Ceremony of the Second Protocol to Amend the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga) here yesterday. Costa said the EU is proud to engage with Asean as a reliable partner

Power Grid, in line with the Malaysian Chair manship’s theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability.’ Costa said the EU-Asean partnership is also rooted in shared security interests, particularly mari time security, and a joint commit ment to a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded in international law. Both regions, he said, share a commitment to multilateralism, the rules-based international order and the principles of United Nations Charter.

investor, with deeply interlinked economies that continue to generate opportunities, growth, and stability. The European Council president also said the EU and Asean need to secure supply chains, diversify part nerships, promote sustainable trade, and build resilience in critical sectors. Costa said EU has just concluded a free trade agreement with Indonesia, its third such agreement with an Asean member, following

Anwar: ACFTA 3.0 to mark new phase of regional partnership KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hailed the Asean-China Free Trade Area 3.0 (ACFTA 3.0) agreement set to be signed tomorrow as a pivotal milestone that will open a new chapter in Asean’s strategic partnership with China and strengthen the region’s collective economic resilience. Speaking at the 47th Asean Summit (Plenary) and the Handover Ceremony of the Second Protocol to Amend the Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga), Anwar emphasised that the deepening of Asean-China economic cooperation reflects the 11-member bloc’s shared commitment to inclusivity and sustainability. “To strengthen our economic foundation, we are trading more among ourselves, investing more in one another and advancing integration across sectors. “The upgraded Asean Trade in Goods Agreement is a decisive step forward,” he said. Also present were Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, European Council President Antonio Costa, the International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva and Asean heads of state and government. Anwar noted that the signing of ACFTA 3.0 tomorrow will mark a new chapter in the regional partnership, demonstrating shared commitment to fair trade, digital transformation, and sustainable energy. He added that beyond the Asean+1 frameworks, Asean is accelerating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free trade pact, and Malaysia will host the 5th RCEP Leaders’Summit today to give new momentum to its implementation. Meanwhile, he said Malaysia has had the privilege of chairing Asean this year under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, noting that this comes at a defining moment as the region confronts mounting challenges from geopolitical uncertainty to growing geoeconomic fragmentation. Earlier yesterday, Anwar officiated the opening ceremony of the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, marking the start of three days of high-level meetings under Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship 2025. Some 30 leaders and high-ranking officials, including those from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, will participate in discussions on regional peace, economic resilience and inclusive growth. – Bernama

Asean-Business Council signs MoU with Chilean industry group in first South American tie-up

Nazir (right) with Yanez after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Asean Business Advisory Council and the Chile-Asean Business Council at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC,

Southeast Asian supply chains. “The establishment of the Chile-Asean Business Council also complements Chile’s agenda as an Asean Partner, strengthening its participation in the bloc’s economic and business initiatives,” he added. – Bernama

relationship between Chile and Asean. “The bilateral business council will identify business opportunities, promote cooperation in innovation, energy, critical minerals, food, logistics as well as sustainability, and encourage the integration of Chilean companies into