Global Powers Gather in Manila as ASEAN Regional Forum Opens
Global Powers Gather in Manila as ASEAN Regional Forum Opens
MANILA: The 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting opened in Manila on Wednesday, bringing together foreign ministers and senior diplomats from 27 participating members, including the United States, China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the ten ASEAN member states.
Pakistan is represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, while the United States is represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar are also attending the two-day meeting.
The forum will focus on key regional and global issues, including Indo-Pacific security, maritime security, the South China Sea, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, climate change, humanitarian assistance, regional stability and economic cooperation.
Diplomatic observers say this year’s meeting carries added significance amid intensifying strategic competition between the United States and China, the continuing war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, concerns over global maritime trade routes, and evolving security dynamics across the Indo-Pacific.
One of the notable aspects of the forum is the presence of the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India at the same multilateral platform. While no formal bilateral meeting has been announced, diplomats will closely watch for any informal interactions on the sidelines of the conference.
A series of bilateral meetings between participating foreign ministers is also expected during the forum, with discussions likely to cover regional security, trade, investment, connectivity, digital economy and broader international cooperation.
