Marcos Jr. urges ASEAN unity vs China incursions at summits

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. arrived in Lao PDR for the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits.

During the summit, he is expected to urge ASEAN neighbors to take a united stance against China's incursions in the South China Sea.

The President will continue to defend Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in accordance with international law.

He also attended an urgent call concerning the situation of Filipinos in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, where tensions have intensified.

Marcos later ordered the evacuation of Filipinos in Lebanon "by whatever means," as approximately 40,000 Filipinos are in the region.

The President will also address pressing regional concerns such as the situation in Myanmar, and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Human trafficking, improving regional connectivity for sustainable development, the regional digital economy, cybersecurity, reskilling and upskilling the labor force, support for MSMEs, and sustainable agricultural and tourism practices will also be tackled.

President Marcos Jr. will be the keynote speaker in the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2024.

He is scheduled for bilateral meetings with leaders from Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Japan, as well as business engagements.