ASEAN Calls for Middle East Ceasefire at Manila Talks

By Staff, Agencies

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN] opened three days of meetings in Manila on Tuesday, with the escalating conflict in the Middle East and tensions in the South China Sea dominating discussions.

In a joint statement issued after closed-door talks, ASEAN ministers voiced deep concern over the renewed hostilities involving the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. They called for an immediate ceasefire and urged the full and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy route.

The ministers also reaffirmed the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.

The conflict has had significant economic repercussions for Southeast Asia, which relies heavily on oil and gas imports from the Middle East. Rising energy prices and supply disruptions prompted Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a national energy emergency earlier this year to safeguard fuel and food supplies.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Manila ahead of Wednesday's ASEAN-US meeting, where the Middle East crisis is expected to feature prominently alongside regional security and economic issues. Rubio will also participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum, which includes representatives from the European Union, Russia and China, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Although no bilateral meetings have been announced, any talks between Rubio and Wang would mark the highest-level US-China engagement since President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing in May, where discussions focused on the war involving Iran, trade relations and Taiwan.