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33rd ASEAN Summit opens in Singapore with call for unity
Calls for unity amid challenges ranging from trade tensions and terrorism to climate change marked the opening on Tuesday of the second Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit of the year.
President Rodrigo Duterte and other leaders of the 10-nation bloc graced the welcome ceremony of the 33rd ASEAN Summit held at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, where Singaporean Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong spoke about challenges despite painting a "bright" future for the region.
"How can ASEAN stay united, effective and relevant for our peoples and our partners? This question is especially pertinent given the rapidly changing external environment," Lee, this year's ASEAN chairman, said.
"The international order is at a turning point. The existing free, open and rules-based multilateral system which has underpinned ASEAN's growth and stability has come under stress," he added.
In an apparent reference to the tit-for-tat tariffs in the escalating trade war between the United States and China, Lee said that countries, including major powers, are resorting to "unilateral actions and bilateral deals and even explicitly repudiating multilateral approaches and institutions."
"It is unclear if the world will settle into new rules and norms of international engagement or whether the international order will break up into rival blocs," he said.
"Non-traditional and transnational threats" including terrorism and climate change are also looming on the horizon, according to Lee.
"These common challenges are complex and unprecedented. No single solution applies to all of these problems, yet no country can deal with them alone. We need to pool our ideas and resources to tackle these issues together," the premier said.
Lee said ASEAN has shown it is still able to work together and find a common ground.
"And this is because of the conviction of ASEAN members that ASEAN is greater than the sum of its parts. By coming together in one collective voice instead of going our separate ways as 10 disparate countries, ASEAN members have strengthened our standing in the world," he added.
Following the opening ceremony, ASEAN leaders will hold a plenary session Tuesday evening. Separate engagements with dialogue partners including China, Russia, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and the United States are set for Wednesday and Thursday.
Duterte is expected to take part in the meetings.
During the meetings, Malacañang said, the President will reiterate the Philippines’ "principled positions" on matters concerning the South China Sea, terrorism, violent extremism, trafficking in persons, illicit drugs and disaster risk reduction and management.
US Vice President Mike Pence will attend instead of President Donald Trump, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among those expected to join ASEAN meetings.
Li is expected to rally support for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) pact now being negotiated, showcased to be the free trade deal that will cover 16 countries, including China, India, Japan and South Korea, but not the US. — BM, GMA News
