OPENING REMARKS BY AEM’s CHAIR
WORKING LUNCH – 13TH EAST ASIA SUMMIT ECONOMIC MINISTERS’ MEETING
25 SEPTEMBER 2025 (THURSDAY)
1215 – 1345
NOVEL, LEVEL 1A
MITEC
OPENING REMARKS BY AEM’s CHAIR
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good afternoon and Selamat Datang to Kuala Lumpur. It is both an honour and privilege, in my capacity as Chair of ASEAN Economic Ministers, to welcome all of you to the 13th EAS-EMM Consultation. Your continued commitment to advancing economic cooperation and integration in our region is highly valued.
The East Asia Summit remains a critical platform for ASEAN and our East Asia Participating Countries (EPCs) to strengthen regional economic collaboration, address emerging challenges, and explore opportunities for sustainable and inclusive growth. It serves as a cornerstone for enhancing cooperation and navigating the complexities of our interconnected world.
Excellencies, based on ASEAN’s preliminary statistics, ASEAN’s two-way merchandise trade with non-ASEAN EAS participating countries stood at USD 1.9 trillion in 2024, whilst foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from non-ASEAN EAS participating countries to ASEAN was recorded at USD 92.8 billion in the same year.
These figures reaffirm the importance of EPCs as ASEAN’s trusted economic partners and highlight the immense potential for deepening trade, investment, and people-to-people connectivity across the region.
Today, we will exchange views on the regional and global economic outlook for 2026, deliberate on advancing ESG-driven economic integration under the AEC Strategic Plan 2026–2030, and reflect on recent economic developments and their implications for ASEAN’s trade, investment, and integration agenda.
With this spirit of cooperation in mind, I look forward to our productive discussions. At the same time, I wish to underscore the importance of staying focused on our shared priorities. Let us not be distracted by issues that may divert us from our common objectives. Let us engage with open minds and constructive dialogue, guided by our collective resolve to advance regional economic integration, strengthen resilience, and deliver tangible benefits to the peoples of ASEAN and the wider East Asia region.
With that, may we now proceed to Agenda Item 1 – Adoption of the Agenda.
Thank you.
--BERNAMA