Malaysia reaffirms commitment to resilient, inclusive trade system at APEC meeting - MITI

Malaysia has called for urgent reforms to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the revitalisation of a rules-based global trading system, during the 31st APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting in Jeju, South Korea.

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Tengku Zafrul called for restoring the WTOs dispute system and advancing talks on digital trade and fisheries subsidies.
Malaysia highlighted its AI initiatives to reduce trade friction and proposed closer alignment between APEC and ASEAN digital frameworks.
As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia hosted the first APEC-ASEAN Ministerial Caucus and raised tariff concerns in talks with the US trade envoy.

Speaking at the two-day summit which concluded on Friday, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz stressed the importance of restoring the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism and advancing negotiations on digital trade and fisheries subsidies.

"An open, transparent and fair-trading system is essential to ensuring regional and global economic stability," he said, urging Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies to take a leadership role in reinforcing multilateral trade.

This year’s MRT meeting, themed “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect. Innovate. Prosper”, brought together trade ministers amid heightened geopolitical tensions, economic shifts and fast-moving technological changes.

Tengku Zafrul also outlined Malaysia’s domestic efforts to promote sustainable and inclusive growth through technology, highlighting initiatives such as the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Roadmap and the creation of a National AI Office.

He said these efforts are aimed at enhancing cross-border supply chain transparency and reducing trade friction.

He proposed stronger alignment between APEC’s digital trade initiatives and ASEAN’s Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), including mutual recognition of digital credentials and trusted trader schemes.

“APEC must not merely respond to global trends, but shape them. This means embedding trust, interoperability and inclusivity into every initiative,” he said, calling for more capacity-building for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially in the areas of circular economy, carbon accounting, and smart agriculture.

On the sidelines of the MRT meeting, Malaysia, in its role as 2025 ASEAN Chair, hosted the first-ever APEC-ASEAN Ministerial Caucus.

The platform aimed to enhance coordination among ASEAN member states within APEC, strengthen regional cooperation and respond jointly to shared trade challenges.

Tengku Zafrul also held bilateral talks with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, raising concerns over U.S. tariffs affecting Malaysian exports.

He reiterated ASEAN's collective stance as outlined in a joint statement by ASEAN Economic Ministers issued in April.

In a joint statement released at the conclusion of the meeting, APEC Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to WTO reform and to fostering a resilient and inclusive Asia-Pacific trading environment.