Southeast Asian foreign ministers called for restraint on Tuesday as renewed conflict in the Middle East overshadowed regional talks in Manila, warning that escalating violence could derail diplomatic efforts and threaten global stability.
In a joint statement issued after a closed-door meeting, ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said they were "deeply concerned" by the renewed hostilities.
The talks come amid renewed conflict involving the U.S. and Iran, raising concerns over energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz and the potential impact on inflation and global economic growth.
Southeast Asia, a major oil-importing region with a combined GDP of $3.8 trillion, is seeking to accelerate an ASEAN oil-sharing mechanism to help cushion the impact of potential supply disruptions.
ASEAN ministers are also expected to discuss the conflict in Myanmar and efforts to finalise a long-delayed code of conduct for the South China Sea.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have intensified after Manila accused the Chinese Coast Guard of assaulting a Philippine sailor near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. Both countries have since summoned each other's ambassadors.
China said ASEAN should not be used to address bilateral maritime disputes.
"The Philippines should earnestly fulfil its duties as ASEAN's rotating chair, promote dialogue and cooperation, rather than placing its own political interests above regional peace and stability," China's foreign ministry said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are expected to meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN gathering.
In an opinion article published on his arrival in Manila, Rubio reaffirmed U.S. support for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
"If those waters fall under the control of a power willing to use commerce as a geopolitical weapon, both the United States and the ASEAN states would face dire new threats to their sovereignty, security and economic futures," Rubio wrote.
Rubio also reiterated U.S. support for the 2016 international arbitration ruling rejecting China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, a decision Beijing continues to reject.
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Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is under preliminary investigation in France over a suspected conflict of interest linked to the 2024 sale of Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
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