The Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in South-East Asia yesterday, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own.
Foreign ministers from the 11-member Asean grouping and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a backdrop of instability since the United States and Iran resumed open conflict, raising fears about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as inflation and global growth.
Risks have increased in recent days, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis announcing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front in the conflict and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.
“We are deeply concerned that these developments severely undermine the ongoing efforts of key mediators and diminish the prospects for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy,” the ministers said in a statement after a closed-door meeting.
South-East Asia, a major oil importer with a combined gross domestic product of US$3.8 trillion (RM15.5 trillion), is highly exposed to the supply crunch and has sought to fast-track an Asean oil-sharing mechanism to mitigate the impact.
Asean has no shortage of challenges closer to home and will hold a consultation on the conflict in Myanmar, as the bloc’s peace initiative falters, five years after a military coup that plunged the country into a civil war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people.
Officials are also likely to discuss tensions in the South China Sea, with Asean and China still trying to conclude a code of conduct to prevent disputes from escalating after nearly 10 years.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing have intensified ahead of an expected meeting between Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of today’s Asean meetings.
Lazaro described the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which marks its 50th anniversary this year, as Asean’s “most reliable anchor”, saying its principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference and the peaceful settlement of disputes remain the foundation of regional stability.
“In a fractured global landscape, no single nation can weather these storms alone. Our strength and resilience lie in our community,” she said.
“If we do not move forward as one, we risk being pulled apart.”
A fresh war of words erupted after the Philippine military accused China’s Coast Guard personnel of aggressively striking one of its navy personnel on the head with a baton near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on Monday, prompting accusations of provocation and dangerous manoeuvres from both governments.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will summon China’s ambassador in Manila, his office said yesterday, hours after Manila’s envoy in Beijing was similarly summoned.
As the diplomatic standoff deepened, the Chinese foreign ministry told a media briefing yesterday that Asean was not a forum for discussing bilateral maritime disputes.
“The Philippines should earnestly fulfil its duties as Asean’s rotating chair, promote dialogue and cooperation, rather than placing its own political interests above regional peace and stability,” it said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Wang will join the Asean-led meeting in the coming days and could meet on the sidelines.
Also attending will be India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Russia, Britain and the European Union, among others.
Discussions will also focus on strengthening Asean centrality, advancing regional integration under the Asean Community Vision 2045, and enhancing cooperation with external partners.
The Manila meetings, running through July 24, will also include gatherings with Asean’s dialogue partners, the Asean Plus Three, the East Asia Summit and the Asean Regional Forum to discuss regional and global security challenges. — Agencies
