ISTANBUL 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday called for deeper cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), citing shared challenges and strategic interests between Türkiye and the Asia-Pacific bloc.

“Türkiye stands ready to support ASEAN’s 2045 vision for a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable community,” he said.

The Turkish foreign minister also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening ties under all three pillars of the ASEAN Community and called for support to elevate Türkiye’s status to a full dialogue partner.

Speaking at the 7th Türkiye-ASEAN Trilateral Meeting on Sectoral Dialogue Partnership in Kuala Lumpur, Fidan said the gathering offered a “timely opportunity” to assess the current state of relations and reflect on common goals.

“The Asia-Pacific region stands at a critical crossroads,” he said, pointing to ongoing geopolitical tensions, economic volatility and environmental disruptions. “Security perceptions have changed as a result of great power competition.”

Fidan noted that countries in the region are adjusting national security strategies, increasing defense spending and placing greater emphasis on economic security. He argued that Türkiye faces similar dynamics in its neighborhood and that current global governance mechanisms are failing to address overlapping crises — with Gaza being a prime example.

“These crises speak to a deeper truth: our governance mechanisms are fragmented, reactive, and often hostage to geopolitical deadlock,” he said. “This is the moment to act collectively and build bridges based on regional ownership.”

Fidan underscored the importance of cooperation with ASEAN, describing both Türkiye and ASEAN as strategically located and economically significant actors in their respective regions.

“ASEAN ranks among the world’s top five largest economies and is a model of regional integration,” he said. “Türkiye is the 17th largest economy globally and one of the fastest-growing among OECD countries.”

Bilateral trade between Türkiye and ASEAN surpassed $15.7 billion last year, according to Fidan, highlighting what he called the “scale of existing potential.”

Türkiye established institutional relations and signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, one of ASEAN's founding documents, in 2010, before becoming a sectoral dialogue partner in 2017.