At the 28th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Chinese Premier Li Qiang urged ASEAN partners to “jointly uphold free trade and the multilateral trading system, oppose all forms of protectionism, and further advance the process of regional economic integration,” warning that recent tariff escalations threaten to erode East Asia’s economic trajectory.

In remarks published by China’s State Council website on Tuesday, he appealed to leaders to “fully safeguard the hard-earned peace and stability in East Asia,” emphasizing dialogue over coercion and policy consistency over ad hoc barriers.

Li situated his call within the region’s track record of rapid growth, arguing the “East Asian Miracle is not a story of the past, but one that continues to unfold,” and pledged to “strengthen the alignment of development strategies,” deepen supply-chain resilience, and expand cooperation in finance, innovation, EVs, and clean energy.

The subtext was clear: unilateral tariffs and politicized trade risk breaking the momentum that has defined East Asia’s rise.

The summit’s agenda reflected intensifying U.S.–China tensions. A day earlier, Washington advanced a slate of agreements with Southeast Asian partners, including concessions on non-tariff barriers and high-profile purchases, even as uncertainty persists over threatened semiconductor duties and sector-specific levies.

Regional analysts warn that such measures could strain exporters and fragment supply chains, while pushing ASEAN states to diversify with expanded frameworks beyond the U.S.—a trend Li seeks to accelerate through openness and integration.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump continues his regional tour. After his stop in Japan, he is scheduled to travel to South Korea, where a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to draw global attention.