Manila: The Philippines is hosting a ministerial-level meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday to discuss key regional issues, including tensions in the South China Sea, the escalating civil war in Myanmar, and border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia.
According to Thai News Agency, this informal meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers aims to set the agenda for the member states throughout the year, with the Philippines holding the ASEAN chairmanship this year.
Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Teresa Lazaro addressed the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, highlighting the current global security environment as more challenging and complex. She pledged that the Philippines will continue to support a rules-based international order while upholding ASEAN's commitment to tolerance, consultation, and adherence to international law.
Furthermore, the Philippines aims to push for the completion of a long-delayed code of conduct in the South China Sea this year, amid escalating tensions in the area over the past three years.