MANILA, Philippines (Reuters) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte led the closing ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum (ARF) on Tuesday (August 8), capping off the three-day ministerial meeting with 27 foreign ministers.
Duterte, the rotating chair of this year’s ASEAN gathering, gave his closing remarks and said he hoped for a region free of corruption and crime.
He later met with the ASEAN foreign ministers for a courtesy call.
North Korean missile tests and South China Sea disputes topped the agenda at this year’s security summit.
Japan’s foreign minister Taro Kono told reporters that “heated discussions” had taken place on the issues on Monday (August 7), and that most countries believed United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang should be fully implemented.
During talks this weekend, foreign ministers from Southeast Asia and China also adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a move they hailed as progress.