The inaugural summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China, recently held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, went beyond underscoring Asia’s growing geoeconomic prominence – it also served to position the continent as a catalyst for a cultural renaissance.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, the current Asean chair, has long maintained the principle of neutrality as essential to maintaining the bloc’s centrality. One key approach to securing the region’s stability and prosperity, he has said, is through expanding and diversifying Asean’s partnerships. In line with this vision, Malaysia hosted the Asean-GCC-China Summit alongside the 46th Asean Summit.
To be sure, Asean has robust relationships with both the Gulf states and China. In 2023, the first GCC-Asean Summit was held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where both sides agreed to strengthen their ties through economic collaboration in the digital economy, renewable energy and food security.
Like Asean, the Gulf states are actively diversifying their partnerships, pursuing stronger engagement with the European Union, African Union, India and China. In 2022, the inaugural GCC-China Summit also took place in Riyadh, emphasising shared goals in economic diversification, technology and global governance.
Meanwhile, the China-Asean economic integration continues to deepen. Both sides recently wrapped up negotiations to upgrade their 15-year-old free-trade agreement, marking another milestone in their growing partnership.
The Asean-GCC-China Summit seeks to elevate these robust bilateral economic relationships within a multilateral framework. In bringing together three of the world’s most dynamic economic areas, the summit promises to unlock new synergies and drive continent-wide growth.
