Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has arrived in Manila, where Southeast Asian leaders are gathering under Philippine chairmanship for a summit that has long been a place to weigh the region's stubborn problems against its hopes for unity. The talks carry the weight of Myanmar's unresolved conflict and the contested waters of the South China Sea, two questions that have tested the bloc for years. Whether the leaders find common ground will say something about how far a community of ten nations can act together when their interests diverge. The answers will emerge slowly, in the meetings
Anwar Faces Packed Asean Schedule in Manila as Myanmar and South China Sea Dominate
The Myanmar crisis and the South China Sea are expected to top the agenda
Mark
Why does this schedule matter beyond the logistics?
Mimi
Because it shows what Malaysia is bringing to the table: Myanmar, maritime security, energy and supply chains. Those are the items the Foreign Ministry named.
Mark
Myanmar is on the agenda again. What exactly is being reviewed?
Mimi
The implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, and what the bloc does next.
Luke
Worth being clear: the reporting says leaders are expected to review it. It doesn't say what they concluded or whether anything has actually been implemented.
Mark
And the South China Sea?
Mimi
Talks are expected to cover progress on the Code of Conduct negotiations and a proposed Asean Maritime Centre.
Luke
Again, expected. The source gives no detail on how far the negotiations have come, so I wouldn't read progress into the wording.
Mark
Is there anything in the lineup that stands out?
Mimi
Monday's summits with China, Australia, South Korea and the UN, then Tuesday's Asean-US special summit and the handover to Singapore.
Luke
Those are scheduled events. What gets agreed at them is still unknown.
Il Polso
- Anwar landed in Manila and faces a crowded opening day of plenaries, retreats and back-to-back courtesy calls.
- Myanmar's crisis and South China Sea tensions sit at the top of an agenda that leaders must reconcile.
- Leaders are reviewing the Five-Point Consensus and pressing for progress on a Code of Conduct and a proposed Maritime Centre.
- Monday's summits with China, Australia, South Korea and the UN will test whether consensus holds, with the outcome landing by Tuesday's US talks and handover to Singapore.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has arrived in Manila, where Southeast Asian leaders are gathering under Philippine chairmanship for a summit that has long been a place to weigh the region's stubborn problems against its hopes for unity. The talks carry the weight of Myanmar's unresolved conflict and the contested waters of the South China Sea, two questions that have tested the bloc for years. Whether the leaders find common ground will say something about how far a community of ten nations can act together when their interests diverge. The answers will emerge slowly, in the meetings still to come before the chairmanship passes to Singapore.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim landed in Manila on Saturday night and, by Sunday morning, was due at the Philippine International Convention Center for the opening of the 49th ASEAN Summit. Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., as chair, presides over a gathering where the Myanmar crisis and South China Sea tensions are expected to dominate.
Anwar travels with Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. After the opening ceremony come the plenary and leaders' retreat, followed by a crowded afternoon and evening of meetings with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, youth representatives, and a courtesy call from Asian Development Bank president Masato Kanda.
The Foreign Ministry says Malaysia wants to use the summit to shape the bloc's future direction, with talks on regional resilience, energy security and supply chains. Leaders will review the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar and weigh a proposed ASEAN Maritime Centre alongside progress on a South China Sea Code of Conduct, while transboundary haze and the crisis in West Asia are also on the table.
Monday brings summits with China, Australia, South Korea and the United Nations. The three-day gathering, themed "Navigating Our Future, Together," closes Tuesday with the ASEAN-United States Special Summit, and that day the chairmanship passes to Singapore. What the leaders settle on Myanmar and the South China Sea will only become clear in those final outcomes.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim landed in Manila on Saturday night, and by Sunday morning, Nov 15, he was due at the Philippine International Convention Center for the opening of the 49th Asean Summit and Related Summits. Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presides over the gathering as Asean chair. The Myanmar crisis and tensions in the South China Sea are expected to top the agenda.
After the opening ceremony, the summit plenary and the leaders' retreat follow. Anwar is travelling with Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
The rest of Sunday is crowded. Anwar will join fellow Asean leaders in separate meetings with representatives of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the Asean Business Advisory Council and Asean youth. In the evening, he is scheduled to receive a courtesy call from Masato Kanda, president of the Asian Development Bank.
The Foreign Ministry said the summit gives Malaysia a chance to exchange views on Asean Community building and the bloc's future direction. Talks are to focus on regional resilience, energy security and supply chains, set against shifting global conditions.
On Myanmar, leaders are expected to review how the Five-Point Consensus has been implemented and to discuss the bloc's next steps. On maritime matters, the discussions are expected to cover a proposed Asean Maritime Centre and progress in negotiations on a South China Sea Code of Conduct. The ministry also said leaders are expected to take up transboundary haze pollution and the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
Monday, Nov 16, brings a further round for Anwar: summits with China, Australia, South Korea and the United Nations.
The three-day gathering, themed "Navigating Our Future, Together", ends on Tuesday with more meetings, including the Asean-United States Special Summit. That day the Asean chairmanship passes from the Philippines to Singapore. The outcomes of Monday's summits and Tuesday's talks will show what, if anything, the leaders have settled on Myanmar and the South China Sea.
Citazioni salienti
The summit gives Malaysia a chance to exchange views on Asean Community building and the bloc's future direction.— Malaysian Foreign Ministry (paraphrased)
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