PH plays host to 31st ASEAN Summit starting today
ome 20 world leaders from the ten ASEAN member states, plus the region’s free trade and dialogue partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia, United States (US), Canada, and European Union (EU) – gather in Manila to discuss starting today further economic cooperation in this time of shifting trade ideologies by world’s most developed economies and some of the region’s poorest against the backdrop of the pomp ASEAN’s golden anniversary celebration.
With the theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World,” the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits kicked off last Friday up to Tuesday this week. The government has declared public holiday this week to pave the way for an unhampered flow of the various meetings by world leaders and foreign dignitaries.
Venue of the summit meetings is the Philippine International Convention Center at the CCP Complex in Pasay City.
Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte hosted a Special Gala Celebration yesterday to celebrated the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN.
The President will chair the plenary of the 31st ASEAN Summit, where ASEAN Leaders will discuss the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the way forward and the appointment of the new secretary-general of ASEAN. They will also exchange views on pressing regional and international issues.
Likewise, Duterte will also chair ASEAN’s 40th Anniversary Commemorative Summits with the United States of America, Canada and the European Union; 20th ASEAN Plus Three Commemorative Summit; the 20th ASEANChina Summit, 19th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit; 20th ASEAN-Japan Summit; 12th East Asia Summit; 15th ASEAN-India Summit; and the 9th ASEAN-UN Summit. These meetings will review and take a look at the future direction of cooperation within these mechanisms.
ASEAN Leaders will also have an interface with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) while the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Leaders will have an interface with the East Asia Business Council. The ASEAN Leaders, along with the Leaders of Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand, will have Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Leaders’ Summit. The ASEAN Secretary-General will also attend the Summit.
ASEAN Leaders will sign the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, a landmark document that further seeks to strengthen social protection, access to justice, humane and fair treatment, and access to health services for the migrant workers of Southeast Asia.
At the closing ceremony of the 31st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, President Duterte will hand over the Chairmanship of ASEAN to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, the incoming Chair for 2018.
Prior to the 31th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits on November 1314, preparatory meetings at the levels of Ministers and Senior Officials will take place on November 10-12 at Clark, Pampanga and in Manila.
Most awaited in this summit is a possible concrete agreement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (RCEP) where the Philippines has committed to achieve substantial conclusion. RCEP is the only remaining contentious economic deliverable for the Philippine hosting.
ASEAN leaders are also expected to approve other deliverables that have been