Key facts
- The 49th ASEAN Leaders' Summit runs from November 15 to 17 in Manila under the Philippines' chairmanship, CNA reported.
- The Philippines said China and ASEAN agreed about 70% of a proposed South China Sea Code of Conduct, with scope and legal status unresolved.
- Analysts cited by CNA said a legally binding code is unlikely by the year-end target or during the summit.
- US President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Li Qiang were expected in Metro Manila, CNA reported.
Southeast Asian leaders opened the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on November 15, 2026, with the grouping seeking more cooperation on energy and economic pressure while disputes over Myanmar, transboundary haze and a binding South China Sea pact remain unresolved.
The summit runs from November 15 to 17 under the Philippines' chairmanship, CNA reported, with regional security, economic resilience and geopolitical competition on the agenda. US President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Li Qiang were among figures expected in Metro Manila, CNA reported, ahead of the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, on November 18.
The Philippines said on November 12 that China and ASEAN had agreed on about 70% of a proposed Code of Conduct for the disputed waters, but that scope, legal status and implementation remain unresolved. Andrew Mantong, an ASEAN senior researcher at CSIS Indonesia, told CNA he expected "a well-run summit with solid economic results, but not much of a breakthrough on the tough political files." Joanne Lin of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute said the agreement was unlikely to be finalized during the summit or by the end of 2026.