Marcos meets Japan, Canada, UN leaders at Asean Summit

President Marcos joined world leaders here yesterday at the opening of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit, and met separately with leaders of Cambodia, Thailand, Canada, Japan, the European Union and the United Nations.

- By HELEN FLORES

Marcos, accompanied by First Lady Liza Marcos, was welcomed by the head of the host country, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.

During the plenary session, Marcos stressed the Philippines’ readiness to host the ASEAN Summit next year, underscoring that its hosting of the regional meeting would focus on practical, inclusive and measurable initiatives, Palace press officer Claire Castro said at a briefing.

Castro said the President affirmed the country’s commitment to advance ASEAN’s legacy and the group’s aspiration to attain ASEAN Vision 2045.

In his speech during the plenary, Marcos congratulated Timor-Leste on its formal inclusion to the ASEAN. He emphasized the importance of ASEAN centrality, as well as the Philippines’ commitment to UNCLOS at the Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.

The President also extended his condolences to the Royal Family and the people of Thailand over the passing of Queen Sirikit, the mother of Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn.

In a statement on Saturday, Marcos said Queen Sirikit’s “close was added to the other 10 on the stage at a formal ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

It was ASEAN’s first expansion since the 1990s and was more than a decade in the making.

“For the people of Timor-Leste this is not only a dream realized, but a powerful affirmation of our journey — one marked by resilience, determination and hope,” he said.

The ceremony marked the opening of ASEAN’s annual summit, followed by two days of high-level engagements with key partners including China, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, South Korea and the US.

Shortly after his arrival Sunday, US President Donald Trump took part as Cambodia and Thailand signed a formal expansion of the ceasefire that he helped broker this summer to end their border conflict.