At the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28, 2025, ASEAN leaders endorsed the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2026-2035. The Chairman’s Statement described APASTI as “a forward-looking strategy grounded in two foresight studies to position ASEAN as a competitive and innovation-led region.”
According to Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama, APASTI 2026-2035 positions quantum science as a strategic emerging field for ASEAN’s long-term development. The plan was delivered as one of the 17 Priority Economic Deliverables under Malaysia’s chairmanship and was built upon the ASEAN Ahead foresight report, which had been endorsed by all relevant ASEAN ministerial and committee bodies.
APASTI 2026-2035 marks the first time quantum technology has been explicitly referenced in a high-level ASEAN strategic planning document. Its predecessor, the APASTI 2016-2025, had focused on biotechnology, food science, marine technology, and space technology, with no mention of quantum.