Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began a three-day series of meetings in Manila on Tuesday, with escalating tensions in the Middle East, Myanmar's prolonged civil war and disputes in the South China Sea dominating the regional agenda.

The annual gathering, hosted by the Philippines as ASEAN chair, brings together senior diplomats from the bloc alongside key global partners, including the United States, China, Russia and the European Union. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are among those attending.

ASEAN foreign ministers are expected to issue a joint statement expressing concern over the renewed conflict involving Iran and calling for restraint and a return to diplomacy. According to Arab News, the fighting has heightened fears of a wider regional war, disrupted global energy markets and raised concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for around one-fifth of the world's oil supply.

The conflict has also intensified concerns across Southeast Asia, where many countries depend heavily on Middle Eastern energy imports. Regional leaders are closely watching whether Washington's growing focus on the Middle East could affect its strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific, particularly amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and across the Taiwan Strait.

On the sidelines of the meetings, Rubio is expected to join talks with his counterparts from the Quad comprising the United States, India, Japan and Australia where regional security and maritime cooperation are likely to feature prominently.

Myanmar's civil war remains another major concern for ASEAN. More than four years after the military seized power in 2021, violence continues despite the bloc's five-point peace consensus. Earlier this month, ASEAN foreign ministers held their first meeting in five years with Myanmar's representative in Bangkok in an effort to revive dialogue, although the move drew criticism from rights groups that argued it weakened pressure on the junta.

The ministers will also meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to review negotiations on a long-delayed Code of Conduct for the South China Sea. ASEAN and China have been working for years on the agreement to reduce tensions in the disputed waters, where confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels have intensified in recent years.

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