31st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings: Highlights

The 31^st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings in Manila concluded on Tuesday, Nov. 14, marking the end of the Philippines’ stint as chairman of the 50-year-old regional bloc.

Here’s a summary of the key events that took place during the two-day summit:

• President Rodrigo R. Duterte denounced violent extremism and the illegal drug trade in the opening ceremony of the 31st ASEAN Summit, highlighting the need for regional cooperation to tackle these issues, as well as “poverty alleviation, food security, coastal and marine environment, and the pursuit of innovation” among others.  

• All eyes were on United States President Donald J. Trump as ASEAN members questioned whether the US would maintain its interest in the region, especially after Mr. Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Southeast Asia consumes over $100 billion in US exports each year, and depend on the Western nation as a buffer against an expansionist China.  

• Mr. Trump seemed eager to maintain good relationships with the ASEAN, particularly with President Duterte. According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Mr. Trump expressed admiration for his Philippine counterpart, even appearing “sympathetic” to Mr. Duterte’s drug crusade.  

• Meanwhile, allies of the ASEAN announced their readiness to support filling in the region’s infrastructure gaps, with Russia, South Korea and India all pledging to work with the Southeast Asian nations to achieve growth throughout the region.

• Emerging Asia is projected to experience favorable growth over the near and medium terms. Mario Pezzini, development center advisor to the OECD Secretary-General, cautioned that this robust growth momentum could be stymied by faster than expected monetary policy tightening in advanced economies, a rise in public sector debt and slow progress in regional trade.

• Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo pointed out the importance of technology in harnessing the economic potential of the region’s small and medium enterprises in the region. Mohd Munir Abdul Majid, chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Malaysia, cited an AT Kearney study claiming that the digital economy is expected to add an incremental $1 trillion to the gross domestic product of Southeast Asia in the next decade.

• Major progress was made towards the finalization of scope of the long-negotiated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Stuck in negotiations since 2012, the RCEP seeks to bring ASEAN member states together with China, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

• The Philippines will be among Southeast Asia’s biggest economies leading up to 2022, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Their Economic Outlook for Southeast Asia, China and India 2018 stated that “benign inflation, a stable financial sector, an accommodative monetary policy, robust remittance inflows and a healthy fiscal position should continue to facilitate domestic consumption growth at least until the end of the year.”

• President Rodrigo Duterte managed to avoid the topic of human rights violations during bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump. However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did bring up Mr. Duterte’s deadly war on drug during their meeting, claiming that “the president was receptive to my comments and it was throughout a very cordial and positive exchange.” Mr. Duterte would later comment on the meeting, calling Prime Minister Trudeau’s comments a “personal and official insult”.

• Bilateral talks between the Philippines and Russia explored possible transportation projects, including development assistance for the Northern Luzon railway and air travel between Manila and Moscow. The deployment and donation of Russian training vessels, as well as exchange programs between Philippine and Russian maritime academies were also discussed.

• President Duterte and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe touched on the threat of North Korea’s nuclear program, before engaging in talks about the Metro Manila Subway project, Arterial Road Bypass Project Phase 3, and other economic and social development programs.

• Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi co-signed four agreements with President Duterte on the areas of defense and logistics cooperation; agriculture; micro, small and medium enterprises; and collaboration between the Indian Council of World Affairs and the Foreign Service Institute of Philippines.

• New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Philippine Airlines and Tourism New Zealand, with PAL launching thrice-a-week direct flights from Manila to Auckland by December.

• After a decade of talks, the ASEAN member countries finally signed the “ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers”, committing them to ensure the fair treatment and protection of migrant workers.

• For a quick summary of the outcomes of ASEAN’s dialogues with its global partners, check out BusinessWorld’s breakdown here. — Bjorn Biel M. Beltran