Key facts
- ASEAN ministers convened in Manila to address regional security challenges.
- The bloc expressed serious concern over renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.
- Ministers called for an immediate halt to fighting in the Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Tensions in the South China Sea were highlighted by a recent clash involving the Philippines and China.
- Divisions remain among ASEAN ministers regarding engagement with Myanmar's regime.
Southeast Asian diplomats gathered in Manila for security talks, facing a complex agenda dominated by escalating Middle East hostilities and tensions in the South China Sea. The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) called for an immediate cessation of fighting involving the United States and Iran, emphasizing the importance of the Strait of Hormuz for energy shipments. The region's reliance on Middle East oil and gas made the conflict a significant concern, prompting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a national energy emergency earlier in the year.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived to participate in discussions, with a meeting planned with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. These talks are significant as the highest-level contact between the U.S. and China since President Donald Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping. Rubio is also set to attend the East Asia Summit, which includes 18 countries, to address geopolitical, economic, and security issues.
The South China Sea dispute remains a critical agenda item, with ongoing negotiations for a code of conduct between China and ASEAN. A recent incident where the Philippine military accused China's coast guard of injuring a Filipino sailor underscored the urgency of these negotiations. China, in turn, summoned the Philippine ambassador to protest the confrontation.
Despite these pressing external issues, ASEAN ministers remain divided on how to engage with Myanmar's ruling regime, with little progress reported on the matter. Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro had previously warned ASEAN nations about the need for unity against external pressures that could divide the region.