Malaysia Urges Prudence in South China Sea, Welcomes Stronger ASEAN-China Ties at Ministerial Meeting

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10, 2025 — Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan today called for restraint and wisdom in addressing rising geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea while reaffirming ASEAN’s commitment to deepening ties with China during the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with China held in Kuala Lumpur.

In his opening remarks, Mohamad warmly welcomed Chinese Foreign Minister and meeting co-chair Wang Yi to the Malaysian capital, noting the strength and dynamism of the ASEAN-China relationship, which he described as being built on “mutual trust, shared interests, and growing economic interdependence.”

“The many challenges that we face should reinforce this commitment we share, which is more important today in light of the increasingly uncertain global environment,” he said.

Highlighting the fragile state of global peace, Mohamad stressed the need to prevent further escalation of tensions, particularly in the South China Sea. He urged all parties to act with “wisdom and prudence” and emphasized ASEAN’s hope for a continued positive trajectory in negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the region.

“We are confident that with the full commitment of all parties in the negotiations, we should be able to conclude an effective and substantive COC in the not-too-distant future,” he added.

In a significant development on nuclear non-proliferation, Mohamad welcomed China’s readiness to be the first nuclear-weapon state to sign and ratify the Protocol to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty without reservations. He called it “a significant step forward” and a demonstration of China’s leadership and commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free Southeast Asia.

Turning to economic ties, Mohamad noted that ASEAN and China have remained each other’s largest trading partners for four consecutive years, with total trade reaching USD770.94 billion in 2024—an increase of over 10 percent from the previous year.

Amid global uncertainty, he stressed the importance of defending a rules-based trading system and welcomed the upcoming signing of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 agreement, scheduled for later this year.

“This agreement will allow ASEAN and China to fortify our economic cooperation and resilience during these challenging times and beyond,” he said.

As the current ASEAN Country Coordinator for Dialogue Relations with China, Malaysia reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with all ASEAN Member States and China to advance a partnership that delivers tangible benefits to the region’s people.

The conference is part of a series of ministerial-level meetings held during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related gatherings, hosted by Malaysia under the 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”