The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The expected attendance of US President Donald Trump and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila on November 16-18 presents the Philippines with a diplomatic opportunity it cannot afford to waste.
With the Philippine government hosting the gathering, massive street protests are likely to accompany the high-profile event. Trump can expect demonstrations from critics of his policies, while Guterres may face demands for stronger UN action against China’s continuing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
These protests will reflect public frustration not only with foreign powers but also with international institutions that Filipinos believe have failed to respond adequately to threats against Philippine sovereignty.
Trump’s visit may also be interpreted as a show of support for the controversial Pax Silica initiative being promoted by Washington. Whatever the project’s strategic objectives, the Philippines must ensure that its participation in American-led initiatives serves Philippine interests rather than simply advancing Washington’s geopolitical competition with Beijing.
The ASEAN Summit, however, must not become another diplomatic gathering that produces impressive photographs and carefully worded declarations but little meaningful action.
Participants are expected to pursue a unified approach to the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, which has persisted since the military coup. ASEAN’s inability to secure a lasting resolution has exposed the limitations of its consensus-based diplomacy.
The same weakness is evident in the regional response to China’s increasingly assertive conduct in the West Philippine Sea.
For the Philippines, the West Philippine Sea is not an abstract geopolitical issue. It concerns sovereign rights, access to fishing grounds, maritime security and the protection of Filipino livelihoods. China’s aggressive activities in Philippine waters demand more than expressions of concern.
With the American president and the UN secretary-general on Philippine soil, Manila should place these concerns squarely before both leaders.
Washington must demonstrate that its security commitments to the Philippines extend beyond rhetoric. Meanwhile. Guterres should encourage stronger international support for maritime law and the peaceful resolution of disputes under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Most importantly, ASEAN must speak with one voice. A collective regional position, reinforced by Washington’s commitment to Philippine security and the UN’s defense of international law, would send Beijing a message that cannot easily be dismissed.
China must understand that its neighbors will not remain indefinitely divided.
The Manila ASEAN Summit should produce more than diplomatic pleasantries. It should demonstrate that ASEAN unity, backed by international resolve, can defend regional peace, maritime rights and the sovereignty of its member states.