Round-the-clock breaking news from Malaysia.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued a pointed rebuke of China during his state of the nation speech, vowing to uphold a 2016 arbitration ruling that rejected Beijing's extensive South China Sea territorial claims.
The United States has reinforced its commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation across international waterways, particularly in the South China Sea, warning that threats to maritime access jeopardise the entire global economy and 150 years of established international trade frameworks.
ASEAN and China are advancing negotiations on a South China Sea code of conduct, with officials expressing confidence in reaching agreement by December despite regional tensions and unresolved territorial disputes.
Indonesia has challenged Asean to move beyond pledges and demonstrate concrete results through regional agreements, warning that the bloc faces a credibility test as external crises threaten regional stability.
Indonesia is accelerating hydrogen development with 93 projects worth $2.05 billion, while ASEAN foreign ministers grapple with South China Sea maritime incidents and Myanmar's political progress, signalling the region's balancing act between economic ambition and geopolitical complexity.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Philippine counterpart Theresa Lazaro are scheduled to meet this week in Manila, marking their first bilateral encounter in two years as tensions escalate over South China Sea disputes and regional alignments.
China has summoned the Philippine ambassador following a physical altercation between the coast guard and Filipino sailors near a disputed reef, intensifying South China Sea tensions with implications for regional stability.
A fresh maritime clash between Philippine and Chinese forces has intensified tensions as ASEAN foreign ministers convene in Manila. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives with warnings about Beijing's control of contested waters, while Myanmar's civil war and regional energy security dominate discussions.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers convene in Manila this week to address the Myanmar civil war, escalating Middle East tensions threatening oil supplies, and ongoing South China Sea territorial disputes. U.S., Chinese, and Russian officials will also attend the three-day gathering.
The Philippines is hosting the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting from July 20-24, with discussions centred on regional security, human rights promotion, and geopolitical tensions. Key topics include Myanmar's crisis and South China Sea disputes.
The Philippines has issued a forceful condemnation of China Daily for publishing an AI-generated video that depicted Filipinos as monkeys, terming the content racist and unacceptable propaganda that violates basic human dignity standards.
Fourteen countries, including the Philippines, Australia, Japan, and the United States, marked the tenth anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, emphasizing its continued legal force and opposing unilateral maritime actions.
Malaysia has assured Belgium that the South China Sea will remain open to international maritime traffic, with Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof emphasizing ASEAN's commitment to regional peace and neutrality.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has dismissed predictions of conflict in the South China Sea, arguing instead that meaningful dialogue, international law, and ASEAN unity offer a viable path to regional stability.