Asia & Pacific
South China Sea and Myanmar have dominated agenda for ASEAN top diplomats in Manila amid renewed push for progress in the bloc’s two long-standing issues
(From left to right) Myanmar's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hau Khan Sum, Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Thailand's Vice Foreign Minister Vijavat Isarabhakdi, East Timor's Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Hoang Giang, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Brunei's Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Mateen Bolkiah, Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Foreign Minister Sugiono, Laos' Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn pose for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, on July 21, 2026. (Reuters/Pool/Aaron Favila)
Indonesia has called on ASEAN to match its commitments with tangible results through regional agreements and external partnerships to address practical priorities, while warning that the bloc faces a critical test of its credibility amid mounting geopolitical tensions.The call came on Tuesday, as top diplomats from 11 ASEAN member states gathered in Manila for day-long talks aimed at forging common positions ahead of meetings with external partners the next day. The talks centered on several issues, including the economic impact from the Middle East conflict, South China Sea disputes and Myanmar crisis.
