President Marcos off to Jakarta today for ASEAN Summit

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos will head to Jakarta, Indonesia today to attend the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit and related summits, running from Sept. 5 to 7, and will include meetings with several ASEAN dialogue partners.

Marcos will hold bilateral meetings with his ASEAN counterparts and other world leaders aside from attending the summit, according to Assistant Secretary Daniel Espiritu of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of the ASEAN Affairs.

Among those scheduled to meet Marcos in Jakarta are Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. 

“With Vietnam, the focus will be on strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries and of course cooperation on rice and food security,” Espiritu said during a pre-departure briefing at Malacañang on Thursday.

“With Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste, of course the President will congratulate him on his assumption of office last July, but at the same time we will reassure Timor-Leste of our cooperation with their country in the years to come especially in their preparations for final membership in ASEAN,” he added.

Marcos and Hun Manet, meanwhile, are expected to talk about matters of mutual concern between the two countries, Espiritu said.

Espiritu said Marcos would discuss with Yoon new areas of cooperation in time for the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Republic of Korea. 

“We will be thanking also Korea for its support for the Philippines in terms of the assistance that they gave during Typhoon Egay, around 300,000 dollars,” he said, noting that South Korea also intends to donate, under the ASEAN Plus Three, a total of 750 metric tons of rice to the Philippines.

During his meeting with world leaders, Marcos would promote a rules-based international order, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS, especially in the South China Sea, Espiritu also disclosed.

Beijing released on Aug. 28 a supposed new standard map, which covers what it now calls 10-dash line that includes waters and features within the Philippine territory.

Espiritu said the President would highlight his administration’s advocacies in strengthening food and energy security, harnessing the potential of digital and creative industries and the micro, small and medium enterprises, as well as addressing the impact of climate change, among others.

This is aside from participating in events that would promote the country’s trade and investment, he added.

In May, Marcos attended the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia.