46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia: Major issues include American Tariff, Myanmar Conflict and South China Sea

Malaysia is set to host the 46th edition of the South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit from 26 to 27 May. The summit will bring together leaders of Southeast Asian countries to discuss major regional issues including economic cooperation, security and sustainable development.Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the upcoming two -day ASEAN Summit would focus on the major issues like Civil Conflict in Myanmar, maritime controversies in the South China Sea and recently US Tariff Hike, reported the news agency Associated Press.After the meeting in Malaysia, there will be a summit with the Chinese Premier Lee King and leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) include Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The GCC already has strong relations with the US and Anwar said that he wants to be “close to China” in a media briefing on Wednesday night. “We want business investment, to increase that coordination to increase more effective cooperation,” he said.

ASEAN countries have been hit by 10 percent to 49 percent from the American tariff. Last month, US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day stagnation on tariffs, motivating countries such as Malaysia and Singapore to start trade talks with Washington.Anwar said that the US has promised to review Malaysia’s case “sympathetically.” He said that ASEAN is working further to interact with America. At the same time, he emphasized the need to strengthen economic relations with China, India and the European Union.He assured that the US-China rivalry would not divide ASEAN as the block continues to engage with both superpower. He highlighted regional disputes between ASEAN members and China in the South China Sea and the ongoing military conflict in Myanmar. Anwar assured that ASEAN was focused on dialogue and regional stability.Last month, Anwar met Myanmar’s military head General Ming Aung Hling in Bangkok, where he had a virtual conversation with the opposition National Unity Sarkar. Even though the dialogue focused on human aid, Anwar said he hoped that he could eventually pursue a peace process.Min Aung Holting, head of Janta, Myanmar, has been stopped from ASEAN meetings, when the army refused to follow the peace plan of the block, which called for human aid reach and talks. Critics of the military government say that the military block helps from reaching several areas and accuses them of violating their own ceasefire with frequent airstrikes.