Foreign ministerial meetings of ASEAN and related countries have begun in Laos. Officials from the United States, China, Russia, Japan and others will also join the meetings, which will be held through Saturday.
On Thursday, The ASEAN Foreign ministers wrapped up their meeting that focused on Myanmar, where fierce fighting has continued since the coup in 2021.
Laotian Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said in his opening remarks that ASEAN needs to strengthen its unity to address issues amid the rapidly changing and complex international situation.
Myanmar’s junta sent its permanent secretary of the foreign ministry to the meeting this time. After the coup in 2021, ASEAN has only allowed non-political representatives from Myanmar to attend its major meetings. The military, however, had been absent from the meetings in retaliation. But this year, the junta sent senior officials to a series of ministerial-level meetings in a bid to make concessions to ASEAN.
Sources say ASEAN ministers once again urged Myanmar to implement the bloc’s peace plan, known as the Five-Point Consensus, which calls for an immediate end to violence in the country.
They say some member nations called for sending representatives to Myanmar from neighboring countries. That’s in addition to the United Nations’ special envoy.
The ministers also took up issues related to the South China Sea, including the escalating tension between the Philippines and China.
Diplomatic sources say that during the meeting, delegates from Manila said their country is facing coercive activities by Beijing in the South China Sea. They asked that the situation be referred to in the joint statement.
In recent months, clashes have increased between Beijing and Manila in the area. Chinese coast guard vessels have repeatedly fired water cannons at Philippine ships and blocked supply missions to a military outpost in the contested Second Thomas Shoal. Some cases resulted in injuries on the Philippine side.
The series of meetings comes after Beijing and Manila announced a provisional arrangement for troop rotation and resupply missions.
On Friday, the ASEAN minsters will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.