By Zhai Kun

East Asia Forum-Feb 21, 2025

Malaysia may lead the admission of Timor-Leste into ASEAN in 2025, despite challenges like undeveloped social and economic systems and concerns over the nation’s growing ties with China. Timor-Leste stands to gain from greater regional integration and economic diversification if it can leverage foreign partnerships, strengthen its institutions and implement required legislation, drawing on ASEAN’s successful transformation of geopolitical challenges into economic and political growth. Read more at: https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/02/21/timor-leste-looks-to-asean-for-membership-and-modernisation/  First published in East Asia Forum