Kuala Lampur, May 17 -- When Malaysia assumes the Asean Chair in 2025, it does so with a unique historical and civilisational compass - one that points not only to the Pacific and Indian Oceans but also to the heart of civilisational dialogues between Islam and Confucianism.

The upcoming Asean-GCC-China Summit, to be held on May 26-27 in Kuala Lumpur, is not just a diplomatic convergence - it is a strategic opportunity to reimagine integration between East and West Asia.

Indeed, rarely in modern diplomacy does a summit represent such a layered confluence of history, culture, religion, and trade.

With the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) representing the Arab-Islamic world and Asean reflecting the dynamic economies of Southeast Asia, and ...