ASEAN Summit opens today
The 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit will officially begin today in Manila with the 10 leaders from the region expected to focus their discussions on political, security, economic, and socio-cultural issues.
President Duterte, who chairs this year’s ASEAN Summit, will lead the opening ceremony at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Pasay City. The 31st ASEAN Summit also coincides with ASEAN’s 50th anniversary.
Afterwards, the leaders will proceed to the Philippine International Convention Center
(PICC) to participate in the following engagements: the 31st ASEAN Summit Plenary; the ASEAN-US Commemorative Summit; the 20th ASEAN-China Summit; the 19th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit; the 20th ASEAN-Japan Summit, and the 9th ASEAN-United Nations Summit.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said the leaders will discuss a whole range of issues of common concern, including trade and investment facilitation, innovation, addressing cybercrime, conquering radicalization, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, connectivity, cooperation against trafficking in persons, protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers, persons with disability and other vulnerable groups, and strengthening the ASEAN community at the model of regional integrations.
President Duterte on Friday declared that ASEAN could serve as the “pathfinder” and “hub” for the AsiaPacific region in line with efforts of promoting regional economic integration.
Green light for COC The leaders of ASEAN and China are also poised to give a green light to start the negotiation for a binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea when they meet in Manila on Tuesday.
“We expect the leaders to announce the negotiations but the actual start of the negotiations will probably happen sometime next year,” Bolivar said.
The DFA spokesman said the leaders are expected to take note of the adoption and to announce the formal start of the negotiations of the actual COC that was adopted last August 6 during a meeting of foreign ministers in Manila.
He explained that the framework is the outline of the actual Code and basis for the negotiation.
Bolivar said the Philippines will play a lead role since it will take over as country coordinator of ASEAN-China relations starting next year when the negotiations are starting up.