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Southeast Asian Leaders Open Annual Summit with Major Conflicts and Their Impact Topping the Agenda
Leaders will press for unity and international law as they confront Middle East fighting, South China Sea disputes and Myanmar’s civil war.
On Sunday, Southeast Asian leaders opened their three-day annual summit in Manila, featuring dialogues with world leaders led by President Donald Trump, who seeks to bolster his standing after midterm election defeats.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos urged unity among the 11-nation bloc in his opening remarks, warning that global headwinds are reshaping the region faster than any single country can respond to alone.
The ASEAN summit agenda focuses on troubling world conflicts including the Middle East, Myanmar, and South China Sea disputes, while reaffirming commitment to upholding the United Nations Charter.
Arriving Tuesday, Trump will join Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an alliance largely viewed as a counterweight to China following his party's midterm electoral setback.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang will meet regional leaders on Monday but depart before Trump arrives, as experts predict little substantive progress in subsequent talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit.
Leaders gather in Manila for 3-day summit as Philippine president calls for regional unity amid geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and global challenges