“Philippines Urges ASEAN to Uphold Rule of Law Amid Rising Unilateral Actions”

Philippines Urges ASEAN to Uphold Rule of Law Amid Rising Global Tensions

Southeast Asian nations must remain restrained and follow international law as acts of aggression and “unilateral actions” elsewhere threaten the rules-based global order, the Philippines’ top diplomat said Thursday.

Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro made the remarks during ASEAN’s first major closed-door foreign ministers’ meeting this year in Cebu, highlighting regional tensions at sea, ongoing internal conflicts, and unresolved border disputes.

While Lazaro did not name countries directly, several ASEAN members have expressed concern over a U.S. strike that led to the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and China’s increasingly assertive posture in the South China Sea and around Taiwan. Both countries are major trading and security partners for ASEAN, making diplomatic responses delicate.

“Developments beyond Southeast Asia, including unilateral actions with cross-regional impacts, continue to affect regional stability and weaken multilateral institutions,” Lazaro said. She called on ASEAN to uphold its principles of restraint, dialogue, and adherence to international law to preserve peace and stability.

As ASEAN chair this year, the Philippines is guiding discussions on longstanding disputes, including the Thailand-Cambodia border clashes, the stalled five-point peace plan for Myanmar, and the push to finalize a Code of Conduct with China to manage South China Sea disputes.

Lazaro stressed that the bloc’s unity and adherence to international norms remain essential in a world of rising tensions and geopolitical uncertainty.