KUALA LUMPUR -- Southeast Asia sought to strengthen trade ties with China and the Gulf states in a landmark trilateral summit on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, aimed at enhancing economic cooperation in response to sweeping U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Leaders from ASEAN, China and the Gulf Cooperation Council plan to form a regional business council to support "enhanced trade and investment flows" and the development of regional value chains, according to a joint statement released Wednesday. The GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
