The 180km Funan-Techo Canal gives China easy access to the Gulf of Thailand, where Malaysia has joint development projects with its Asean neighbours.

This comes just three months after Anwar Ibrahim hailed China as a 'true friend'.

Malaysia as the Asean chair next year should take the lead in condemning not only the genocide in Gaza but also the one in Myanmar.

All 10 members of Asean will join the exercise, including prospective member East Timor.

Li, for his part, reiterated China's support for both sides on the Korean peninsula to advance reconciliation and cooperation.

Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries have warned of 'destructive' rivalries between major powers, a reference to looming US-China tensions that they say puts them in danger.

Indonesia, chair of the 10-member Asean, is expected to symbolically hand over the chair to Laos, though it will maintain the role until the end of the year.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang says countries need to 'appropriately handle differences and disputes'.

The comment comes amid reports that arms negotiations between North Korea and Russia are actively advancing.

High on the agenda is regional concern over China's activities in the South China Sea, a strategic trade corridor where several member countries have overlapping claims with China.

Asean has faced criticism for its failure to get Myanmar's ruling military to make progress on a five-point peace consensus agreed to shortly after it seized power in a 2021 coup.

It says Asean has agreed to not be a proxy to any powers.