Kuala Lampur, Oct. 26 -- In what is rapidly emerging as a defining moment for the Indo-Pacific economic order, the bilateral breakthrough between Malaysia and the United States is not only a trade deal - it is a strategic template. As Malaysia and the US set the high bar for a future Association of South-east Asian Nations-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and recalibrate the Sino-US relationship, the region stands on the cusp of a new commercial and geopolitical architecture.

Elevating economic diplomacy

On the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur, the United States and Malaysia signed an "Agreement on Reciprocal Trade" that stretches well beyond conventional economics. Under the pact, the US committed to maintain a unified t...