KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Asean is intensifying green energy initiatives and digital innovation to bolster supply chain resilience and maintain its role in global trade amid evolving United States (US)-China dynamics.
Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said industries across the region are redesigning supply chains with a focus on resilience, while policymakers are fostering collaboration to mitigate risks and seize new opportunities.
“Navigating US-China relations is going to be important for Malaysia and Asean because the supply chain is so critical to the region. Companies are engaging with us. They are redesigning it based on resilience, security, and commercial considerations.
“As policymakers, when we engage with our neighbours and partners, we must diversify and mitigate risks,” he shared on X (formerly Twitter) following the recently concluded World Economic Forum 2025 yesterday.
Tengku Zafrul added that Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap aligns with regional efforts like the Asean Power Grid to ensure accessibility to renewable energy.
Despite challenges like chip export restrictions, advancements in artificial intelligence and digital technologies also present growth opportunities.
He highlighted Malaysia’s position as a small, open economy with a trade-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio of around 180 per cent.
“For Malaysia, 80 per cent of exports are in manufacturing, while only 20 per cent are in agriculture. The manufacturing sector contributes a quarter, or 25 per cent, of our GDP,” Tengku Zafrul said.
He also emphasised Asean’s collective strength as the fifth-largest economic bloc globally, with a GDP of US$3.8 trillion (RM16.64 trillion) and a population of 680 million.
“With that trajectory, we should become the fourth-largest economic bloc,” Tengku Zafrul said.
— Bernama
