MANILA, Philippines — Manila will be at "the center" of Southeast Asian diplomacy next week as eight foreign ministers have confirmed to attend the high-level Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) meetings in Manila.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong are expected to attend the meetings.
The foreign ministers of New Zealand, India, Japan, and the European Union will also be present.
The Philippines will host the meetings being the chairman of Asean this year.
The 11-member Asean is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
The Philippines would be hosting the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Post-Ministerial Conferences, and the commemorative activity for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) from July 19 to 24.
Dax Imperial, DFA spokesman for Asean affairs, said the TAC commemoration would be "one of the most significant diplomatic engagements of our Asean chairmanship."
He said the TAC serves as the "foundational code of conduct governing relations among states, and reaffirms its enduring principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, and effective cooperation."
“Taken together, these meetings reflect Asean's enduring commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and regional peace at a time of significant global uncertainty,” Imperial said.
“As [Asean] 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.
Imperial also said that aside from regional concerns, the foreign ministers will also discuss energy security, including progress on the ratification of the Asean Petroleum Security Agreement.
