Rubio Commits US to Bolstering Economic Ties With Southeast Asian Nations

The secretary of state met with foreign ministers during a five-day summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan shake hands as they take part in a memorandum of understanding signing during the 58th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on July 10, 2025. Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

KUALA LUMPUR—Foreign delegations concluded a five-day multilateral economic conference with a series of meetings aimed at fostering cooperation between nations and strengthening economic ties during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia.

Mohamad bin Hasam, Malaysia’s foreign minister, told reporters at the event’s conclusion on July 11 that partnering nations will “manage their differences in a constructive and responsible manner ... to ensure that the region remains peaceful, stable and prosperous.”