Manila to Host ASEAN, US, China Foreign Ministers Amid Myanmar Crisis

Manila is set to host a series of high-level meetings and events from July 20 to 24, 2026, bringing together Foreign Ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its dialogue partners. The Philippines holds the ASEAN chairmanship for 2026. The week will commence with meetings between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, followed by an informal session to discuss the Five-Point Consensus, ASEAN's peace plan for Myanmar. This consensus aims to address the crisis following the 2021 military coup. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) is scheduled for July 21, with subsequent days featuring ASEAN + 1 meetings with dialogue partners, as well as larger multilateral gatherings. Confirmed attendees include Foreign Ministers from Australia, New Zealand, India, the United States, Russia, and China, among others. Key events include the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (with China, Japan, and South Korea) on July 23, alongside the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the same day. The EAS is considered the region's premier strategic dialogue forum. While major geopolitical players will convene, security issues within the region are expected to dominate discussions. The progress, or lack thereof, on the Five-Point Consensus for Myanmar is anticipated to be a central focus. ASEAN leaders have consistently barred Myanmar's junta leaders from high-level engagements since the 2021 takeover. Myanmar's permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to represent Naypyidaw at these meetings, as has been the practice in previous years. Information source: Rappler Philippines