SEOUL, November 15 (AJP) -Southeast Asian leaders opened a three-day summit in Manila on Sunday to address an energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war, tensions in the South China Sea and Myanmar's prolonged civil conflict, with leaders from the United States, China, South Korea and other major economies joining the diplomatic gathering.
The 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, hosted by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., brings together leaders of the 11-member bloc and major dialogue partners, including South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Trump is scheduled to arrive Tuesday, the final day of the summit, for talks with ASEAN leaders and a meeting of the Quad security grouping comprising the United States, Japan, Australia and India. His visit is expected to focus on regional security and Washington's push to strengthen AI and semiconductor supply chains through its Pax Silica initiative, aimed at reducing dependence on China.
The summit comes as Southeast Asian economies struggle with soaring fuel costs and supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. ASEAN leaders are expected to discuss proposals for joint oil reserves and fuel-sharing arrangements to strengthen regional energy security.
Another major issue is the long-delayed South China Sea Code of Conduct between ASEAN and China. Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro said Saturday that negotiations were about 80 percent complete, but disagreements over key provisions have dimmed hopes of reaching an agreement this year.
Leaders will also review ASEAN's five-point peace plan for Myanmar, adopted after the 2021 military coup. Despite calls from some member states to restore high-level engagement with Myanmar's authorities, Manila has indicated that the bloc will maintain its restrictions until meaningful progress is made toward ending the violence.
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