Prime Minister Mark Carney is promoting Canada as a dependable trade partner for Southeast Asia during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. His message emphasizes Canada’s commitment to rules-based trade amid changing global trade dynamics under U.S. President Donald Trump. Carney is attending the summit to attract investment to Canada, which aligns with the nation-building goals central to the Liberal Party's election platform. In a speech on Wednesday, he announced a target to double exports to markets outside the United States over the next decade, aiming for an additional $300 billion in trade as Canada seeks to diversify its economic relationships. Just a day after Carney's speech, Trump canceled trade negotiations with Canada, expressing frustration over an Ontario government anti-tariff advertisement airing on American television. Although Trump is also attending the ASEAN summit, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that no meeting is scheduled between him and Carney. Trump criticized the Ontario ad, labeling it “crooked” and “possibly AI.” Wayne Farmer, president of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council, noted that the Canadian government is increasing its engagement with businesses in Southeast Asia. "I think ASEAN is very eager to do more with Canada, seeing us as a reliable, stable partner that they can plan to work with," he stated in an interview from Singapore. For many years, Canadian officials viewed the ten-nation ASEAN bloc primarily as a development partner. However, they are now recognized as significant commercial partners. Carney is attending the summit as a guest of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with a bilateral meeting scheduled to discuss green energy and critical minerals. During his two-day visit to Kuala Lumpur, Carney will also meet with representatives from an oil and gas company and Malaysia’s central bank, in addition to touring an aerospace facility. Farmer remarked that the Carney administration is signaling positive changes through its major-projects legislation, which aims to expedite approvals for significant projects deemed in the national interest. "We’ve made things incredibly complicated in Canada to invest in, particularly in large infrastructure programs," Farmer said. He acknowledged that while the government’s shift in focus is welcomed, the real test will be its execution. ASEAN countries, which include some of the fastest-growing economies globally, are prioritizing energy and food security. Vina Nadjibulla, vice-president of the Asia Pacific Foundation, highlighted Canada’s expertise in agricultural research and the development of fortified grains and pulses. "The world has changed and everybody’s trying to figure out how to diversify and how to reduce vulnerability and how to ensure their own economic resilience," she said. Malaysia is already involved in the first phase of the LNG Canada project, with plans for LNG 2 also on the agenda for fast-tracked approvals. Nuclear energy is a priority for several ASEAN nations, including Vietnam and Malaysia, where Canada has relevant experience and capacity. Kai Ostwald, director of the Institute of Asian Research at the University of British Columbia, noted that Canada shares common ground with ASEAN countries regarding security. "Canada is very similar to most countries in Southeast Asia as not being large enough, rich enough, powerful enough to change geopolitics, but needing to navigate them in the larger collective where possible," he said during a panel discussion in September. Canada and ASEAN are working towards a trade agreement expected to be signed in early 2026. They are also finalizing the next phase of a five-year action plan that is set to expire at the end of this year.