PM officiates 47th ASEAN Summit opening ceremony

The ceremony, attended by ASEAN leaders, ministers and delegates, began with the ASEAN anthem and Anwar's opening address as ASEAN Chair.

More than 30 heads of state and government, including those from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, are participating in discussions on regional peace, economic resilience and inclusive growth under the chairmanship theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability."

Among the high-profile arrivals expected today are US President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa are also in Kuala Lumpur, having arrived on Oct 24 to participate as ASEAN's new sectoral dialogue partners.

Other leaders attending the summit are China's Vice Premier He Lifeng, European Council President Antonio Costa, Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as well as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (attending virtually).

Among the dignitaries joining the event are Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Timor-Leste's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas, as well as Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono and Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago.

Also in attendance are Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao and President Jose Ramos-Horta, marking the country's historic participation as ASEAN's 11th member state.

The opening ceremony also featured the ASEAN Prize Award to recognise outstanding contributions toward advancing the ASEAN Community, as well as the signing of the Declaration on the Admission of Timor-Leste as ASEAN's 11th member, symbolising the bloc's unity and expansion.

Following the ceremony, leaders witnessed the handover of the Second Protocol to Amend the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA).

In the days ahead, leaders will attend the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and a series of ASEAN+1 engagements with major partners, including the United Nations (UN).

The summit will conclude on Oct 28 with the closing ceremony and the handover of the ASEAN chairmanship to the Philippines, marking the culmination of a landmark year for Malaysia in advancing regional cooperation, unity and sustainability.

A series of preparatory meetings were held from Oct 23 to 25, including the Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN, the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC), and the Joint Meeting of ASEAN Foreign and Economic Ministers, which also witnessed the signing of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

A total of 2,854 media personnel from 290 agencies have registered to cover the historic event.

This marks the fifth time Malaysia has taken up the ASEAN Chair since 1967, with previous chairmanships in 2015, 2005, 1997 and 1977.

-- BERNAMA