Uniting Asia for common growth

Amidst the current geopolitical turbulence, eminent persons of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Aug 26-27, to brainstorm pragmatic strategies and policy recommendations for Asia-Pacific countries to navigate challenges and advance towards a sustainable future.

- Pisanu Suvanajata

Co-hosted by the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) and the Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS), Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur Roundtable on Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation, themed "Forging Ahead: Regional Cooperation for New Progress of Asia-Pacific Integration", was attended by delegates from 20 countries, including Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and the US.

Representing Thailand was Prof Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Thailand, current member of the Advisory Council of the Boao Forum for Asia, and chairperson of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council (APRC), who served as one of the key speakers.

This was a crucial Track II diplomacy meeting for the region's promising future.

A highlight of the event was the visionary address delivered by Dato' Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, prime minister of Malaysia, to the roundtable plenary.

He underlined the geopolitical challenges that all countries collectively face — challenges arising from rapid global political shifts, climate change, emerging technologies such as AI, and, most notably in international trade, the resurgence of isolationism, unilateralism, and protectionism.