ASEAN Leaders Urge Continued Cooperation Amid Challenges
President Marcos highlighted the vital need for the Philippines and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work closely together to address ongoing and future geopolitical and economic challenges. This call for unity and collaboration was a key point during his arrival statement on May 28, following the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“The Summit was once again an opportunity to discuss among our fellow ASEAN Member States and partners how we should navigate our futures together,” Marcos stated. He emphasized that despite the national, bilateral, regional, and global hurdles, ASEAN countries must find common ground to face these issues collectively.
Key Discussions and Bilateral Meetings
During the summit, the President engaged in extensive talks on critical international matters that affect both the Philippines and the region. A major focus was the West Philippine Sea dispute, reflecting the importance of regional security and sovereignty.
On the sidelines of his two-day visit, Marcos held bilateral meetings with leaders from Lao PDR, Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Kuwait. These talks reaffirmed commitments to strengthen ties and boost cooperation in defense, maritime security, trade, human resource development, and education. Marcos highlighted, “I especially wish to note that we agreed to explore active ways to boost private sector investment. We expressed openness to cooperating on advanced technologies, AI, and the digital space.”
He also stressed the importance of protecting Filipinos abroad, saying, “I emphasized that welfare, safety, and progress of Filipinos working and living overseas is of paramount importance to my administration.”
ASEAN Cooperation for Future Progress
Marcos’ takeaway from these bilateral talks was clear: continuous cooperation is essential. “In all my bilateral engagements, one thing is clear: we have to continue to cooperate and to work together to navigate a future that presents us with many opportunities together with many challenges,” he concluded.
In addition to the summit, the President chaired the 16th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit, highlighting the Philippines’ proactive role in promoting inclusive growth and regional collaboration.
Advancing Regional Integration and Economic Growth
Throughout the series of meetings, Marcos participated in both the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit, where he engaged with regional counterparts. The ASEAN leaders collectively endorsed the “ASEAN Community Vision 2045,” outlining strategic plans for integration and cooperation over the next 20 years.
Inclusive growth was a top priority, with initiatives like the “Complementarities Initiative” aligning ASEAN’s goals with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Security and cooperation remained central themes, reaffirming commitment to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and calling for full implementation of international agreements such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty.
Economically, ASEAN showed resilience with a projected growth rate of 4.7 percent in 2024, outperforming global averages. Leaders discussed the risks of unilateral tariff measures and supported the creation of the ASEAN Geoeconomics Task Force to provide timely policy advice for regional economic challenges. Further economic cooperation was strengthened through updates to the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), amendments to Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and increased use of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Marcos also welcomed the Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation between ASEAN and the GCC.
Technology, Socio-Cultural Development, and Youth Empowerment
The summit also focused on responsible technology use. ASEAN is moving forward to establish the ASEAN Artificial Intelligence Safety Network, which aligns with the Philippines’ efforts to promote AI safety and governance.
Socio-cultural progress was addressed through the adoption of the ASEAN Creative Economy Sustainability Framework. Discussions covered green jobs, education, migrant rights, civil service improvements, and health initiatives.
Marcos reaffirmed the country’s dedication to ASEAN youth by highlighting the successful hosting of the 14th Senior Officials Meeting on Youth and the ASEAN Youth Climate Action and Disaster Resilience Conference in Manila.
For more news and updates on ASEAN leaders emphasize cooperation for future challenges, visit Filipinokami.com.