Kuala Lumpur: Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and People's Republic of China reaffirmed their commitment to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. This call came in the final statement issued on Wednesday at the conclusion of their trilateral summit held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the leaders condemned all attacks targeting civilians in Gaza and stressed the need for the swift and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services, including electricity, water, fuel, medicine, and food. The statement urged all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, particularly The 1949 Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
It also acknowledged the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on July 19, 2024, which called for an end to the Israeli occupation's illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territories. The leaders expressed their support for the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained individuals, and emphasized the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict through a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, in accordance with international law and UN resolutions, including the one concerning Palestine's membership in the UN.
The statement praised the Saudi-Norwegian-European initiatives supporting the Palestinian state and highlighted Qatar's role in mediating the ceasefire and facilitating aid delivery, and it also recognized China's efforts in fostering Palestinian reconciliation through the Beijing Declaration in July 2024. The leaders welcomed the UN General Assembly resolution of December 11, 2024, which called for a permanent and unconditional ceasefire and urged the facilitation of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East's (UNRWA) mandate across all areas of its operations, in line with principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence.
The leaders emphasized the importance of strengthening supply chains, establishing a regional business council, exploring cross-border payment cooperation using local currencies, and implementing consistent anti-corruption measures. On regional connectivity, the statement underlined support for the Belt and Road Initiative, the development of sustainable infrastructure and logistics corridors, and maritime cooperation for security and ocean resource utilization.
In the energy sector, the leaders pledged support for a just energy transition aligned with the Paris Agreement, diversification of supply chains, development of clean energy technologies, and peaceful nuclear energy, alongside environmental innovation. They also underscored the need for cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, smart cities, and digital infrastructure development, as well as investment in digital skills and educational programs.
Regarding the agricultural sector, the statement advocated for sustainable agriculture, respect for national food regulations, food security, and efforts to boost diversity, productivity, and trade in agricultural products and technologies. The leaders expressed support for sustainable tourism, heritage protection, cultural dialogue, the arts, education, and scientific research, particularly in STEM fields, and agreed to implement the joint statement through trilateral cooperation mechanisms.
They also welcomed the upcoming Asian Cooperation Dialogue Summit, scheduled for October 3, 2024, in Doha. The Kuala Lumpur trilateral summit between ASEAN, the GCC, and China was part of the 46th ASEAN Summit, held on May 26-27, 2025. It witnessed the signing of multiple economic, developmental, and environmental initiatives among the three blocs and addressed key regional and international issues, notably the Palestinian question and the Myanmar crisis.