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ASEAN summit: Who’s attending and what’s at stake?
ASEAN leaders and other world figures are meeting in Manila from 15 to 17 November as the region faces energy shortages linked to the US-Israel war on Iran and economic pressure from US-China rivalry. The summit matters because members are trying to address shared economic and security challenges, though ASEAN cannot impose decisions on its 11 member states.
Oil and gas disruption has particularly affected the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia; the Philippines declared a national energy emergency in March, and the conflict also threatens millions of ASEAN citizens working in the Middle East. Members face US tariff increases of 10 to 12.5 per cent, long-running South China Sea disputes with China, and unresolved tensions including the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute and Myanmar’s civil war. Negotiations on a South China Sea code of conduct have continued this year, but analysts doubt the summit will produce a final agreement.
In short
- ASEAN meets in Manila amid energy shortages and trade pressure.
- South China Sea negotiations may continue into next year.
- Myanmar’s conflict and regional disputes remain unresolved.
Explained simply
ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a regional group whose members meet to discuss issues that cross borders, including trade, energy and security. Its leaders can agree common positions, but ASEAN cannot require member countries to follow them.
The group includes countries affected by disruption to oil and gas supplies and by US-China trade tensions. Its members also have differing interests in disputes in the South China Sea, while conflicts such as Myanmar’s civil war and the Cambodia-Thailand border tensions create further challenges.
The discussions matter because decisions or disagreements can affect trade, energy supplies and regional security. ASEAN members are also working towards a code of conduct for the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims have contributed to tensions with China.
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