From July 3 to 5, the 2025 ASEAN-China (Qingdao) Event of Economic and Trade Cooperation and People-to-People Exchanges took place at Qingdao Haitian Center under the theme "Blue Partnership for a Shared Future.

The two major powers vied to push their agendas in Asia at a time of simmering tension over a U.S. trade tariffs offensive.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers have reiterated the regional bloc’s firm commitment to peace and stability in the South China Sea, amid growing concern

China has been a fierce critic of sweeping U.S. tariffs that Trump announced on April 2. He later delayed the implementation of most but China, which has said it will respond with its own tariffs on U.S. imports, now faces a deadline next month to negotiate a deal.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and China Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended separate meetings with their ASEAN counterparts in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (Jul 10).

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had a "positive" meeting in Malaysia on Friday, both sides said, in an apparent bid to ease tensions between the rival powers.

China has committed to signing the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty "as soon as possible" without reservation, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

China will sign up to a Southeast Asian treaty banning nuclear weapons in the region as soon as all documentation is ready, Malaysia's foreign minister said on Thursday.