Pasay city: Ensuring energy and food security against the backdrop of the ongoing West Asia crisis topped the agenda of ASEAN's series of meetings with its external partners on Wednesday, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.
According to Nam News Network, the Philippines opened the third day of its week-long 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting with the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) with the bloc's dialogue partners. At the PMC with the United States, State Secretary Marco Rubio pledged comprehensive support to Southeast Asian energy security, supply chains, and aviation infrastructure through a new US$1.5 billion worth of strategic investment. The US plans to assist in the development of Southeast Asia's liquefied natural gas market by deploying US grid technologies and supporting the ASEAN power grid. Rubio emphasized that as ASEAN seeks to implement its ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, the United States will remain heavily engaged on energy-related issues.
British Foreign Minister Ed Miliband, who recently assumed his position on July 20, expressed the UK's commitment to enhancing cooperation with ASEAN, highlighting the importance of shaping the region's maritime, energy, and economic security through multilateral efforts. Miliband also urged countries to inject renewed international energy and momentum to secure peace in West Asia and other conflict-prone areas. He acknowledged the significant impact of the Iran conflict on ASEAN partners, emphasizing the daily economic challenges and the effect on seafarers from many ASEAN nations. He assured that the UK government would work intensively with others to de-escalate the conflict, find a diplomatic solution, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and uphold the principle of freedom of navigation.
ASEAN convened its PMCs with all its dialogue partners, including India, Canada, the United States, the European Union, China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the United Kingdom, at the newly-renovated Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. All dialogue partner countries were represented by their respective foreign ministers. Beyond regional developments, discussions also focused on advancing cooperation in maritime security, trade, education, and combating transnational crime, among other areas.
On the sidelines of the PMCs, the top diplomats of the US, Australia, India, and Japan held a Quad meeting and reaffirmed their support for ASEAN unity and centrality. In a joint statement, they expressed their investment in the region's success and cooperation with ASEAN and its member states. They emphasized their unified belief that peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain underpin the security and prosperity of the region.
On Thursday, the Philippines is set to convene the high-level ASEAN Regional Forum and East Asia Summit, among other events.