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In Manila, ASEAN sets conditions for Myanmar's full return to the fold
MANILA, Philippines — Southeast Asian leaders have agreed they may gradually let Myanmar's military-backed government back into their top-level meetings, but only if it shows progress on a five-year-old peace plan.
In a statement issued after a closed-door retreat, ASEAN leaders in Manila said the bloc "may consider the gradual restoration" of Myanmar's full political representation, subject to whether it will make real progress on the bloc's five-point consensus.
This is according to the statement read out by Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro at the end of the first day of the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
The leaders "decided to pursue a calibrated engagement step by step and progress-based approach on restoring Myanmar's political representation," Lazaro said.
She said Myanmar must first act on the plan's call for an end to hostilities.
"We want to see how Myanmar responds to that because right now there's still certain bombings and displacement of Myanmar people," Lazaro told reporters.
ASEAN this year again barred the participation of Myanmar's military leader and president, Min Aung Hlaing, as the junta government continues to snub the five-point ASEAN-Myanmar peace plan to end violence in the country.
The former army chief, who led the 2021 coup, was sworn in as president in April after a military-run election that excluded major opposition parties.
Myanmar at this year's high-level summit was represented by its foreign ministry director-general.
South China Sea
On the South China Sea, Lazaro said ASEAN and China have reached a provisional agreement on about 80% of the long-delayed code of conduct, which means Manila will now miss its goal of finishing the code during its term as chair.
Lazaro said there was "not enough time" given differing views among the parties. Three of four key issues, including whether the code will be legally binding, remain unresolved, though the talks now pass to Singapore.
Indonesia forest fires
Lazaro said ASEAN leaders also discussed haze from forest fires in Indonesia. LIVE Updates: 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits The talks touched on tougher enforcement against the companies and individuals behind the fires.
They urged members to prioritize ratifying the agreement establishing the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control. Lazaro said Indonesia had been "very frank" about its efforts.
The Philippines' top diplomat said about 100 outcome documents have been adopted or noted during the summit, among them documents on an ASEAN Maritime Center and on preventing the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Economy, Timor-Leste
The day also saw the handover of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which negotiators concluded in May and signed over the weekend.
Meanwhile, ASEAN leaders also urged speedier work on the ASEAN Power Grid, with backing from the Asian Development Bank, and for full implementation of the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement.
Earlier today, leaders also confirmed that Timor-Leste, which joined the bloc as its 11th member in 2025, will chair the bloc in 2029, after Singapore in 2027 and Thailand in 2028.
The opening ceremony today unveiled an updated ASEAN emblem and flag with an added rice stalk for Timor-Leste.
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Date posted: 2026-11-15T19:19:00+08:00