Manila: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Thursday that eight foreign ministers, including those from the United States, China, and Russia, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming high-level Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings set to take place in Manila next week.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines will host the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC), and a commemorative event for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) from July 19 to 24. Notable attendees include United States Department of State Secretary Marco Rubio, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Additionally, foreign ministers from New Zealand, India, Japan, and the European Union are expected to attend, as previously stated by DFA spokesperson for ASEAN Affairs Dax Imperial.
The week-long meetings are anticipated to produce at least two major outcome documents: the AMM joint communiqu© and a new framework aimed at fostering deeper engagement between TAC states and ASEAN. During the AMM, ASEAN ministers will assess the progress of ASEAN community-building efforts, share views on regional and international developments, and explore methods to enhance ASEAN unity and centrality amid a complex geopolitical landscape.
The ministerial week will culminate on July 23 with the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting. On the sidelines of these meetings, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro will engage in bilateral discussions with select foreign ministers to address matters of mutual concern.
'Taken together, these meetings reflect ASEAN's enduring commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and regional peace at a time of significant global uncertainty,' remarked Imperial. 'As Chair, the Philippines looks forward to facilitating meaningful discussions that reinforce ASEAN's centrality and contribute to a peaceful, stable, and resilient region, all for the benefit of our peoples,' he added.
Beyond regional concerns, Imperial noted that the ministers will also address energy security, specifically the progress on the ratification of the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA). APSA is designed to ensure regional energy resilience through emergency fuel sharing. While the Philippines and Thailand were among the first to ratify the agreement, Imperial affirmed that 'all ASEAN member states are committed to ratify' and operationalize it.
'Certainly, it will be part of the discussions only because the agenda items will cover economic cooperation among ASEAN members and its dialogue partners,' he said. Besides the Philippines and Thailand, other ASEAN members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
