Kuala Lumpur: China has agreed to sign a Southeast Asian treaty banning nuclear weapons in the region, Malaysia’s foreign minister announced Thursday, a development seen as a major step toward shielding the region from escalating global security tensions.
The announcement came during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, where top diplomats from across the region convened to discuss peace, trade, and regional stability.
“China made a commitment to ensure that they will sign the treaty without reservation,” said Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the summit.
The Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) treaty, first established in 1997, aims to ensure the non-deployment and non-use of nuclear weapons in Southeast Asia. While the treaty allows peaceful uses of nuclear technology, such as energy generation, it explicitly prohibits any military use of nuclear weapons within the region’s territories, including Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and continental shelves.
🇨🇳 China Signals Support
China’s foreign ministry also confirmed its willingness to take the lead in the treaty’s implementation.
“China has always firmly supported the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Southeast Asia, and has repeatedly expressed its willingness to take the lead in signing the protocol to the treaty,” said Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, during a regular press briefing.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN summit and is expected to discuss the treaty further with regional counterparts.
🌏 ASEAN’s Broader Goal
ASEAN hopes that all five major nuclear powers—China, the United States, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom—will eventually sign the treaty, committing to not using or transporting nuclear weapons in the region.
🇺🇸 US Reaffirms Commitment Amid Trade Tensions
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attending the summit on his first Asia tour since taking office, reiterated Washington’s commitment to the region and hinted at favorable trade deals amid rising global tariffs.
“I would say that when all is said and done, many of the countries in Southeast Asia are going to have tariff rates that are actually better than countries in other parts of the world,” Rubio said.
His remarks follow President Donald Trump’s warnings to over 20 countries to negotiate trade terms with the US by August 1, or face increased tariffs.
Rubio also added:
“Not only we’re not going to walk away from them, we seek to expand them and build upon them with a part of the world that is essential.”
🇷🇺 Russia, China, and US Engage in Side Talks
Rubio also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, where he expressed “disappointment and frustration” over the stalemate in Ukraine. He is also expected to meet China’s Wang Yi during the course of the summit.
The ASEAN forum has become a key diplomatic platform for major powers to engage in multiparty talks on security, economic development, and regional cooperation in Asia.