President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the 47th ASEAN Summit from October 26 to 28, 2025, where the Philippines will take over the bloc's chairmanship for 2026. He held bilateral meetings with leaders from Japan, Canada, Cambodia, Thailand, the EU, and the UN, while the summit welcomed Timor-Leste as its 11th member. Key discussions focused on trade, security, and regional conflicts.
The 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26, 2025, with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in attendance alongside other regional leaders. Marcos, accompanied by First Lady Liza Marcos, was welcomed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. The summit, running through October 28, addresses trade tensions with the United States, highlighted by the presence of US President Donald Trump, who also witnessed a ceasefire signing between Thailand and Cambodia.
In his plenary speech, Marcos emphasized the Philippines' readiness to host the 2026 ASEAN Summit, focusing on practical, inclusive initiatives aligned with ASEAN Vision 2045. He congratulated Timor-Leste on its formal admission as the 11th member, a declaration signed by Southeast Asian leaders including Timor-Leste's President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão. Marcos stated that the admission reflects 'our region's collective commitment to unity, cooperation, and shared prosperity,' and affirmed the Philippines' support for ASEAN centrality and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He also extended condolences to Thailand's royal family over the passing of Queen Sirikit.
On the sidelines, Marcos held several bilateral meetings. With Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, he reaffirmed support for resolving the Thai-Cambodian border conflict through dialogue, noting the signing of the Terms of Reference for an ASEAN Observer Team witnessed by Trump and Anwar. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed full support for the Philippines' chairmanship and discussed boosting tourism, trade, agriculture, and private sector ties. Marcos and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney highlighted people-to-people exchanges, shared commitment to UNCLOS, and plans to conclude a Canada-ASEAN free trade agreement and a bilateral FTA in 2026.
Meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi focused on advancing an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement for military logistics, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026, and trilateral Philippines-Japan-US cooperation. European Council President Antonio Costa reaffirmed multilateralism, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed global issues. Trade developments included the signing of the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) by Philippine Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, with the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 upgrade scheduled for October 27. At the summit's close, Malaysia will hand over the ASEAN chairmanship to the Philippines.