As senior officials concluded the first day of the 12th Asean Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting (AFMGM), it became evident that while the retaliatory tariffs imposed by the US present significant challenges, they also offer opportunities for Southeast Asian member states.

The panacea for the grouping to reap the opportunities, according to Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan, is for Asean to deepen financial integration, strengthen its resilience and pave the way towards achieving self-reliance.