First ASEAN-Gulf bloc-China summit was “ambitious,” but partners will have to work hard to balance different goals

According to experts, this week’s historic summit between ASEAN, China, and a Gulf bloc is a “symbolically significant and ambitious” way to protect against rising global uncertainty caused by US tariffs.

But they also said that the first meeting between the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the East Asian superpower showed how the three groups have different goals as they try to find common ground without hurting their relationship with the United States.

Experts say that even though the summit in Kuala Lumpur didn’t lead to any instant progress, it was still a beneficial chance for the three sides to understand each other’s priorities and look for quick ways to work together as the world becomes more divided.

“In this situation, both ASEAN and GCC countries are some of China’s most important trading partners, and their roles will be critical as Beijing plans how to respond to changing US trade pressures,” Li Yao, a senior research fellow at the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, said.

Analysts say it will be difficult for the three groups to keep their relationships with the US stable while dealing with different goals and a gap in development in a trilateral partnership that includes 17 countries.