Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spoken about closer cooperation between China and Southeast Asian nations at an Asean foreign ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

The talks brought together all 10 Asean members as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the Europeans and the US.

Wang said China has always been the most reliable stabilising force in a turbulent world and the most dependable partner for the Asean members to address challenges, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Noting that the two sides share similar development concepts, common demands and integrated interests, he said China regards Asean as a priority for neighbourhood diplomacy and a pioneer area for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

"We should support and achieve success for each other in promoting the modernisation process of Asia," Wang said.

He put forward four proposals to further boost China-Asean cooperation, such as being a model in defending international fairness and justice, and a model for maintaining regional peace and stability.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said China will sign up to a Southeast Asian treaty banning nuclear weapons in the region as soon as all documentation is ready.

The Asean meeting was held amid renewed jitters over US trade tariffs, as US President Donald Trump announced hefty levies of between 25 and 40 percent on six Southeast Asian countries.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim criticised the tariffs, saying the duties, along with export restrictions and investment barriers, have become "the sharpened instruments of geopolitical rivalry".

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks on the sidelines of the meeting, with Ukraine expected to be high on the agenda. (Agencies)