The Philippines calls for urgency from China and ASEAN in the South China Sea Code negotiations

ASEAN leaders were joined in Laos on Thursday by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ahead of the Eastern European Union’s plenary meeting Asia Summit on Friday.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan’s Ishiba were due to hold their first summit in Laos on Thursday as the neighboring countries seek to deepen security and economic ties.

Yoon has pushed for mending ties with Tokyo and stepping up trilateral security cooperation with Washington a top diplomatic priority, building on progress made by Yoon and Ishiba’s predecessor, Fumio Kishida.

SUPPLY CHAIN ​​RESILIENCE

South Korea and ASEAN announced in Vientiane that they had entered into a comprehensive strategic partnership, which Yoon said would develop defense industry cooperation and help strengthen ASEAN’s cybersecurity capabilities.

According to Singapore’s Ministry of Commerce, negotiations have also been completed on an upgrade to an ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, covering customs, supply chain connectivity, competition and consumer protection, as well as non-tariff barriers.

The meetings in Laos also discussed a crisis in Myanmar that began with a military coup in 2021 and has since spiraled into civil war.

The conflict has haunted ASEAN, with differing opinions among members testing the 10-member bloc’s unity, credibility and ability to respond decisively to issues.

ASEAN leaders on Thursday urged all sides to stop violence and attacks on civilians and supported efforts to find a peaceful solution, including greater cooperation with Myanmar’s neighbors and the United Nations to resolve the crisis and tackle its wider consequences, including narcotics and crime.

Western countries have taken a tougher stance than ASEAN, imposing sanctions and accusing Myanmar’s generals of committing systematic atrocities. The junta has called this disinformation.

Marcos previously said that ASEAN’s formal peace process, the “Five Point Consensus”, has not worked so far and that the bloc is now “trying to come up with new strategies”.

“We have to admit that we have not been very successful in actually improving the situation,” Marcos told reporters, according to his office.