MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., along with other Southeast Asian leaders, formally opened on Wednesday the 42nd Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Indonesia.
Leaders are expected to discuss the region’s economic recovery as well as other issues, including the South China Sea, the Myanmar situation, and the Taiwan Strait tension.
LOOK: President Marcos Jr. joins in the opening and plenary session of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/aofwUUkuhO
— Daphne Galvez (@daphnegalvez_) May 10, 2023
Malacañang said the summit, with the theme “Asean Matters: Epicentrum of Growth,” seeks to boost the region’s economic recovery and “make Southeast Asia the world’s engine of sustainable growth.”
READ: Bongbong Marcos arrives in Indonesia for Asean Summit
One of the topics that the leaders are set to tackle is the adoption of the One Health Initiative, which targets to reaffirm Asean’s commitment to prevention, preparedness, and response to health emergencies.
Marcos earlier said he would promote and protect the interests of the Philippines during the summit, adding that participating in the event would give a boost to the Philippines’ “community-building efforts” and ensure the security of Filipinos.
He also said talking about the rising tensions over the Taiwan Strait is “inevitable” as it is a “grave concern” to all Asean members.
Marcos will also take part in the 15th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit, which will be held on Thursday.
“In these meetings, we will have the opportunity to highlight the importance of strengthening cooperation in the BIMP-EAGA sub-region to sustain its thriving economy, the strong partnership between the executive and legislative of Asean, the pivotal role of the private sector and the youth in advancing the growth and shaping the future, as well as the future direction of the ASEAN vision,” he said.
Asean member states include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.