Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia opened high-level talks on Thursday to confront a growing list of regional security challenges, including rising tensions in the South China Sea, Myanmar’s deepening civil war, and a renewed border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
The meeting — a closed-door retreat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — marks the start of the bloc’s policy planning for the year under the Philippines’ chairmanship, according to officials.
Philippine Foreign Minister Ma. Theresa Lazaro told counterparts that the region is facing a rapidly shifting global security environment, describing it as increasingly “challenging,” “complex,” and “interconnected.”
She said Manila will use its leadership role to reinforce ASEAN’s commitment to diplomacy, international law, and collective restraint.
In her opening address, Lazaro stressed the need for coordinated regional responses, noting that “across our region, we continue to see tensions at sea, protracted internal conflicts and unresolved border and humanitarian concerns.” She added that the meeting would allow members “to collectively take stock of ASEAN’s priorities and exchange views on regional and global developments that directly affect us.”
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Myanmar remains a central focus of discussions, as the civil war triggered by the military coup in 2021 continues to destabilize the region. The coup sparked nationwide protests that were violently suppressed, leading to an armed conflict involving the ruling junta and a loose coalition of resistance groups.
Earlier this year, the Philippines hosted a dialogue involving opponents of Myanmar’s military rulers in an effort to support humanitarian access and explore pathways toward political engagement, according to regional diplomatic sources.
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Meanwhile, maritime tensions in the South China Sea remain a top strategic concern. Manila has made completing a long-delayed code of conduct a core priority for its ASEAN chairmanship, as confrontations between claimant states and China have intensified over the past three years.
The proposed code is intended to establish rules for behavior in disputed waters and reduce the risk of conflict in one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors.
In addition to maritime and internal conflicts, ministers are also addressing the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, which has raised diplomatic concerns within the bloc.
ASEAN officials say the retreat is designed to shape collective policy responses for the year ahead, balancing regional stability with growing geopolitical pressures from outside powers.
