MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations welcomed this year the accession of seven countries to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) as the Asean-led mechanisms continue to grow.
Sweden, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Slovenia acceded as new High Contracting Parties to the TAC during the Philippines' chairmanship of Asean this year.
They reaffirmed their commitment to Asean’s principles of mutual respect, sovereignty, peaceful settlement of disputes, and stronger international partnerships.
The president, as this year's Asean chairman, on Sunday led the plenary session of the 49th Asean Summit and Related Summits held at the Philippine International Convention Center.
Marcos said Asean "has developed an extensive network of partnerships." The next step "is to ensure that this network delivers greater benefits for our regions," he said.
"Our partnership should continue to advance Asean priorities, respond to the needs of our member states, and turn political goodwill into practical cooperation with Asean at the center of the regional architecture that we have built," the president said.
"We should therefore continue to deepen our partnerships on the basis of mutual benefit, translate comprehensive and strategic partnerships and plans of action into concrete cooperation," Marcos said.
During the plenary session, Asean leaders will "review the work of all three Asean Community Pillars and agree on the region's priorities for the years ahead," the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
