ASEAN REAFFIRMS CENTRAL ROLE IN INDO-PACIFIC - FOREIGN MINISTRY SEC-GEN

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- ASEAN has reaffirmed itself as the anchor of inclusive, sustainable, and cooperative in the Indo-Pacific region amid growing global interests and competition in this region, says Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.

Amran said the bloc’s centrality remains crucial as major powers increasingly seek influence in the region, making ASEAN’s unity and steady leadership more important than ever.

“We live in a time of growing complexity. Trade routes are shifting, supply chains are fracturing, technologies are being weaponised, and narratives are hardening. Yet, beyond the headlines, lies something very remarkable.

“The Indo-Pacific remains the world's most dynamic arena of human ambition and innovation, and ASEAN sits at the very heart of this region,” he said during a welcoming dinner keynote at the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Forum 2025, here on Friday.

While ASEAN represents a pillar of cooperation, he noted that the bloc is not immune to pressure and major power contestation that seeks to shape its strategic environment.

He reiterated that ASEAN’s long-standing belief in dialogue, trust, and cooperation has enabled the region to navigate multiple global shifts over the decades, adding that the AOIP Forum reflects this enduring ethos.

The AOIP, he said, provides a collective framework for partners to engage constructively with the region, ensuring the Indo-Pacific region remains open, inclusive, and peaceful.

“We continue to work with our partners who share our commitment to stability, sustainable development, and mutual respect. This is why this year’s AOIP Forum is important.

“It provides us the space to deliberate on ASEAN's interests and the interests of our partners, identify new areas of cooperation, and explore ways forward together.

“This year's ASEAN Chairmanship has demonstrated that the values enshrined in the AOIP are alive and well,” he said.

Meanwhile, Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia Chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah, in his remarks, said ASEAN must strengthen its conviction and fortify its resolve to ensure that the bloc remains meaningful despite facing unpredictable global and regional challenges.

He said this year's forum will explore the trade barriers and geopolitical tensions, how AOIP can be calibrated to envision ASEAN Community Vision 2045, confidence-building measures in the maritime domain, as well as explore ways regional actors can work towards greater convergence between various Indo-Pacific strategies.

The one-day AOIP Forum 2025 is jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ISIS Malaysia, and will officially commence on Nov 15 in Kuala Lumpur.

-- BERNAMA