ASEAN IN FOCUS

ARF ministers attend closing ceremony after three-day regional meeting

MANILA, Philippines (Reuters) — Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF) joined a closing ceremony to mark the end of a three-day ministerial meeting on Tuesday (August 8). Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha were among the attendees greeted by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the rotating chair of this year’s ASEAN gathering. “Heated discussions” […]

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ASEAN conveys region’s concerns to North Korean foreign minister

  Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano met his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho for talks on Monday (August 7) during which he conveyed security concerns on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) following the escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula. Cayetano, who is this year’s ASEAN host, reaffirmed the importance of having North Korea in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to continue talks, a statement released after the […]

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US, allies slam Chinese island-building

  MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The United States, Australia and Japan on Monday denounced Beijing’s island-building and militarization of the South China Sea, in contrast to the increasingly tepid response from Southeast Asian nations over the festering issue. China claims nearly all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits. Its sweeping claims overlap with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and […]

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China, ASEAN agree to build higher level of strategic partnership

MANILA, Philippines (CCTV) — China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members on Sunday expressed satisfaction with the achievements made in their strategic partnership during the last 15 years and agreed to further enhance cooperation. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterparts from the ASEAN made the pledge at a meeting in Manila. Wang congratulated ASEAN for its 50th anniversary, saying China is happy for ASEAN’s development and achievements while expressing his […]

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ASEAN issues joint communique on South China Sea dispute

Southeast Asian nations on Sunday agreed to Beijing’s terms on talks on the South China Sea dispute, after two days of tense meetings on the dispute in the Philippine capital. The foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued the joint communique shortly after the ministers met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and agreed on a framework for conducting negotiations on the decades-long row that included key clauses advocated by […]

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ASEAN foreign ministers want “legally binding” COC on South China Sea, says ASEAN SecGen

  (Eagle News) – ASEAN Secretary General Lê Lương Minh said that the regional bloc’s foreign ministers are pushing for a legally binding Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. In an interview with CNN Philippines, Minh said that only a legally binding Code of Conduct will be effective in preventing and managing tensions in the South China Sea where various countries have competing claims. Minh cited that the previous Declaration on the Conduct […]

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ASEAN foreign ministers “reiterate grave concern” over N. Korea’s nuclear missile tests; seek complete denuclearization of region

  MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News) – The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations “reiterated” their “grave concerns over the escalation of tensions in the Korean Peninsula” including the most recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests of North Korea on July 4 and 28, and two other nuclear tests last year. The “ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Developments in the Korean Peninsula” issued on Saturday, August 5, during the opening of the […]

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PHL gov’t now focusing on Marawi rehab; “Bangon Marawi Forum” launched at ASEAN Int’l Media Center

The Task Force Bangon Marawi and the Presidential Communications Office, through its news agencies, launched on Friday, August 4,  the “Bangon Marawi” Forum at the AsSEAN International Media Center in Pasay City. In his welcome remarks, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said, the Bangon Marawi Forum aims to inform the public of the country’s efforts to rehabilitate the war-torn city of Marawi. Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, also gave a keynote […]

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North Korea worried ASEAN forum in Manila will issue strongly-worded statement vs missile tests

  North Korea’s vice foreign minister, Han Song-ryol, has met with his Philippine counterpart on July 25 ahead of ASEAN Regional Forum set in Manila this week, after Pyongyang sent diplomats early this year in Manila to appeal to the ASEAN chairman not to embarrass North Korea during the regional meeting, according to a Reuters report. Two diplomats from the Philippines foreign ministry said the North Koreans were worried ASEAN may issue a strongly-worded statement […]

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South Korea’s Foreign Minister to discuss North Korea at ASEAN Regional Forum

SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) — South Korea’s Foreign Minister, Kang Kyung-Wha, held an emergency executive meeting on Saturday (July 29) after having phone calls with her United States and Japanese counterparts on North Korea’s latest missile launch. Kang said she will discuss measures against North Korea’s provocations during the meetings at Association of Southeast Asian Nation Regional Forum next week and expressed the concerns over the North’s advanced missile technology. Ministerial meeting between Kang and her […]

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US gives surveillance planes to Philippines

The United States donated surveillance aircraft and began delivering weapons to the Philippines on Thursday to help its Asian country fight Islamist militants. The two Cessna C208B planes, which together with their equipment are worth more than $30 million, will track Islamic State group-styled gunmen as well as patrol maritime borders, US ambassador Sung Kim and Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said. “These planes are the latest… manifestation of all that our alliance is supposed to be, […]

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China urges ASEAN to reject outside interference

  Beijing urged Southeast Asian nations on Tuesday to unite and “say no” to outside forces seeking to interfere in the South China Sea dispute, in an apparent swipe at the United States ahead of a regional summit. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the statement in Manila where he hailed the “strong momentum” in improving ties with the Philippines, a longstanding American ally which has moved closer to China under President Rodrigo Duterte. Wang’s […]

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