JAKARTA: Asean on Thursday called for the restoration of safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, expressing deep concern over the economic and security fallout from the Middle East conflict as the Asia-Pacific’s largest multilateral security dialogue unfolded in Manila.
In a joint communiqué issued during the 59th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), the bloc cited international laws governing civil aviation, maritime navigation and maritime safety, and urged all parties to comply with them.
“We called for the restoration of the safe, unimpeded and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz in line with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as for all parties to ensure the safety of seafarers and ships,” the foreign ministers said.
The call came after a week-long series of diplomatic talks among Asean members and external partners, during which the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict cast a heavy shadow over discussions.
The protracted conflict has driven up energy prices and disrupted regional trade, supply chains, agricultural production and fertiliser supplies. These concerns emerged as a recurring theme throughout this week’s diplomatic meetings in Manila, from Tuesday’s ministerial sessions to Thursday’s East Asia Summit (EAS) and Asean Regional Forum (ARF).
Thursday’s security talks opened with an Asean Plus Three meeting involving the bloc and its Northeast Asian neighbours China, Japan and South Korea. Ministers devoted significant attention to mitigating the economic impact of the conflict, including through greater cooperation on food security and efforts to advance the Asean Power Grid (APG).
The Middle East conflict has added another layer of complexity to Asean’s already crowded security agenda, which includes long-running challenges in the South China Sea and Myanmar.
At the ARF, where Asean chair the Philippines made maritime security a key priority, ministers also discussed the South China Sea, where tensions have recently flared around Second Thomas Shoal, the site of repeated confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels.
Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa P. Lazaro said at a press briefing on Thursday that the latest confrontation had been raised during Asean’s negotiations with China on the long-awaited Code of Conduct for the South China Sea (COC), which is targeted for completion this year.
At the EAS, where ministers from 18 countries met to lay the groundwork for November’s Leaders’ Summit on broader strategic and geopolitical issues, Lazaro noted the unprecedented disruptions of recent years and called on Asean and its partners to remain united as they navigate the challenges ahead.
“It is critical that we continue to work as one, not despite these challenges, but because of them,” she said.
Cargo ships anchor near the Strait of Hormuz in waters off Khor Fakkan Port in the eastern United Arab Emirates, in this video still from AFPTV footage taken on July 12, 2026. (AFP/AFPTV)
Led by Foreign Minister Sugiono, the Indonesian delegation at Thursday’s talks pushed for reforms to ensure that Asean-led mechanisms remain relevant amid shifting global dynamics. He emphasised that dialogue must translate into concrete cooperation and tangible outcomes.
At the ARF, which brought together senior representatives from across the region and major powers including the United States, China, Japan and Russia, Sugiono argued that Asean’s security forum must move beyond decades of confidence-building and take a more proactive role in preventing conflicts before they escalate.
Established in 1994 as a confidence-building forum, the ARF has long faced criticism for falling short of its ambition to advance diplomacy. Observers have argued that it has become better at bringing rivals together than influencing their behaviour.
Indonesia has in recent years pushed for practical improvements to the forum. Last year, it called for joint exercises, capacity building and enhanced early-warning mechanisms.
“We cannot meet today’s challenges with the same pace set in 1994. Revitalisation of the ARF must truly begin, [which] means equipping ARF with an enhanced toolbox, while remaining firmly anchored in Asean Centrality as the guiding principle,” Sugiono said in his statement.
At the EAS, Sugiono again argued that the era of dialogue for dialogue’s sake was over, saying geopolitical crises increasingly spill across regions and require practical cooperation and greater resilience.
On the Middle East, Sugiono said preserving a rules-based international order must begin with upholding international law in Palestine, reiterating Indonesia’s support for a two-state solution.
“Rules applied selectively ultimately protect no one. The situation in the Middle East, including in Palestine, therefore remains a matter of deep concern to Indonesia,” he said.
“We reiterate the need for a durable ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and a credible path towards a just and lasting peace.”
Thursday’s talks marked the penultimate day of Asean’s final ministerial gathering before leaders meet in November, when they are expected to chart the bloc’s strategic direction for the years ahead.
Jakarta Post/ANN
