ASEAN foreign ministers may tackle South China Sea issues at retreat—spox

CEBU CITY — The ASEAN Foreign Ministers will hold their retreat on Thursday, which may include discussions on challenges in the South China Sea, an ASEAN spokesperson said on Monday.

Assistant Secretary Dax Imperial said the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) Retreat will focus on regional and global concerns, including priority issues under the Philippines’ chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits this year.

“The Retreat will focus on the Philippines’ chairship priorities and deliverables, follow-up to the 47th ASEAN Summit, external relations, and regional and global issues,” Imperial told GMA News Online.

He noted that the closed-door nature of the meeting would allow for frank exchanges among the ministers.

“The Retreat is a closed-door meeting, allowing for more candid discussions. In that regard, the ministers are free to raise issues they wish to discuss, which may include the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea,” Imperial added.

Tensions continue in the region as China claims almost the entire South China Sea—a major shipping route that carries more than $3 trillion worth of trade annually—including areas also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Portions of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed the West Philippine Sea by the government to reinforce the country’s claims.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, stating that China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea had “no legal basis.”

China, however, has refused to recognize the ruling and continues its assertive actions in the resource-rich region.

Meanwhile, Imperial said preparations for the retreat are on track.

“Preparations are going well, and we are certainly ready for the AMM Retreat,” he said.

The AMM Retreat will be held at the NUSTAR Hotel in Cebu province.

At the invitation of Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro—who also chairs the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2026—ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to the retreat.

The AMM, established under the 1967 Bangkok Declaration, oversees ASEAN’s political-security cooperation and manages the bloc’s relations with external partners.

It meets at least four times a year and may convene special sessions to address urgent regional concerns. The AMM also regularly reviews ASEAN’s community-building efforts, strategic direction, and external relations.—MCG, GMA Integrated News