Meeting in Bangkok, the bishops said only “sincere, responsible, and sustained dialogue” can open a path to lasting peace.

In a separate statement, the Asia-Pacific chapter of the International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs ( ICMICA ) condemned actions that “escalate violence, inflame regional tensions, and endanger global peace,” and warned against the normalization of “preventive strikes” and unilateral military action.

Together, the statements mark one of the most coordinated regional faith-based responses in Asia since the latest surge in Middle East hostilities.

The FABC — whose leadership includes Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David and Cardinal Isao Kikuchi — stressed that war disproportionately harms the poor, displaced communities, children and future generations. 

The bishops urged governments to restore diplomacy as the primary instrument of conflict resolution and called on religious leaders to demonstrate interfaith solidarity in defense of human life.

The ICMICA coalition, composed of Catholic professional and theological groups from South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka and Australia, took a more pointed stance on geopolitics. 

While acknowledging the “complexity of security concerns faced by all parties,” the network argued that durable security cannot be achieved through military escalation but must rest on negotiated solutions consistent with international law and the United Nations Charter.

The coalition also expressed solidarity with civilians across Iran and the broader region, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, migrant workers and religious minorities. It said any political transformation in Iran must arise from “the agency and collective will of the people themselves — not from external military intervention.”

Both groups grounded their appeals in Asia’s historical memory of war, colonialism and geopolitical rivalry.

 “War is a defeat for humanity,” the ICMICA statement said.

Trump arrives on a high note after Hamas and Israel agreed to the first phase of a plan he has drafted for Gaza. The timing coincides with the Nobel Prize Committee’s announcement week, including the coveted Peace Prize that Trump has long sought.

At least 43 people were killed in early August after five days of fighting along the Cambodian–Thai border. The clashes ended on August 7, following a ceasefire mediated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Four diplomatic and Malaysian government sources told This Week in Asia that Trump wanted the ceremony to showcase his role in initiating the peace process. Politico reported that the White House made the ceremony a condition for Trump’s attendance and requested that Chinese officials be excluded from the event.

Washington has not issued any formal demands to Malaysia as this year’s ASEAN chair. “(The peace deal ceremony is) potentially happening, yes, but it has yet to be finalised,” a source told This Week in Asia, adding that it also depended on Thailand ’s approval.

Border tensions remain high despite the ceasefire. Both sides have accused each other of violations, with militaries still on alert. Nationalists in Thailand and Cambodia have pressured their governments not to concede territory.

Thailand’s new prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, took office last month after parliament voted out Paetongtarn Shinawatra for an ethics breach linked to a leaked call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. Anutin has pledged to dissolve parliament within four months to allow new elections and a constitutional referendum.

The 2025 Asean Summit is expected to draw global attention, with confirmed attendance from China’s Premier Li Qiang, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.

All 10 ASEAN leaders are expected to seek bilateral meetings with Trump to discuss trade relief, following the imposition of US tariffs ranging from 10% to 40% on exports from the region since August. Economists have warned that the tariffs could slow Southeast Asia’s growth and push countries to find new export markets.

Washington has overtaken Beijing as Kuala Lumpur’s largest export market, with bilateral trade reaching $78.3 billion in 2022. Across Asean, however, China remains the dominant partner for the 16th straight year, with trade totalling $597 billion in the first seven months of 2025.

A recent regional survey found that 52.3% of Southeast Asian respondents preferred the US as a long-term strategic partner, compared with 47.7% for China. Those figures came before Trump’s new tariffs, which have hit ASEAN members at varying levels: Laos and Myanmar at 40%, Brunei at 23%, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia , Thailand, the Philippines, and Cambodia at 19%, and Singapore at 10%. 

As Asean leaders prepare to focus on trade and regional stability, Trump’s attention appears fixed elsewhere — on a symbolic peace deal, and the Nobel Peace Prize he still hopes to claim.

“In 2004, when we joined the European Union , I was convinced that this was the only project that could guarantee peace on the European continent. However, today the European Union is becoming not a force for peace but a force for war,” he told attendees. “We talk more about war in the European Union than we talk about peace.”