# From Tariffs to Transformation: Seizing the Moment for ASEAN’s Strategic Autonomy

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/asean/248902-from-tariffs-to-transformation-seizing-the-moment-for-aseans-strategic-autonomy
- Published: 2025-10-08T10:58:00+07:00
- Author: Fujiko Takahashi

ASEAN’s fragmented reaction to US tariffs shows the need for greater solidarity 
and shared economic mechanisms – something shared by regional blocs across the world.

## Key Points

 * ASEAN’s fragmented reaction to US tariffs shows the need for greater solidarity
   and shared economic mechanisms.
 * Malaysia’s Regional Payment Connectivity initiative is a step in the right direction,
   but more integration is needed.
 * ASEAN’s efforts can set a precedent for how other regional blocs preserve autonomy
   in a multipolar era.

The tariff shockwaves of 2025 have posed ASEAN’s most profound challenge to unity
since the 1997 financial crisis, while simultaneously offering an unprecedented 
opportunity for transformation. The abrupt surge in trade restrictions has highlighted
the vulnerability of regional cohesion, as member states adopted varied strategies
to protect their national economies.

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Amid this disruption lies an opportunity for ASEAN to fast-track economic integration
and bolster its strategic autonomy. Under Malaysia’s current leadership, ASEAN is
tackling this critical juncture with a sense of urgency and clear vision. By advancing
regional payment connectivity and promoting digital economy frameworks, Malaysia
is steering the bloc not only to address immediate challenges but also to chart 
a path toward enduring resilience in an increasingly multipolar world.

Source : [Why this is the moment for ASEAN to forge strategic autonomy | World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/09/asean-economic-strategic-autonomy/?rand=55375)