What's happened
The 43rd ASEAN summit in Indonesia concludes with criticism over the bloc's failure to reach a consensus on key issues in the region, including the South China Sea and strife-torn Myanmar.
Why it matters
The lack of consensus on key regional issues within ASEAN, particularly regarding Myanmar and the South China Sea, highlights the challenges in addressing these critical geopolitical matters, impacting regional stability and international relations.
What the papers say
The Independent reports that the summit concluded with a handover ceremony of the ASEAN chairmanship to Laos, amid criticism for failing to reach a consensus on key issues in the region, including the South China Sea and strife-torn Myanmar. Al Jazeera emphasizes the condemnation of continuing violence in Myanmar by ASEAN leaders, directly blaming the bloodshed on the ruling generals. The article also highlights the decision that Myanmar will not take over the rotating leadership of the regional bloc as scheduled in 2026. France 24 discusses the challenges faced by ASEAN in reconciling differences over Myanmar and standing up for East Timor and the Philippines, emphasizing the importance of these efforts for the survival of the diplomatic grouping for Southeast Asia.
How we got here
The ASEAN summit in Indonesia has been marked by criticism over the bloc's failure to reach a consensus on key regional issues, particularly regarding Myanmar and the South China Sea. The lack of progress in addressing these critical geopolitical matters has been a recurring challenge for the ASEAN bloc.
More on these topics
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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and soci
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Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of more than seventeen thousand islands, including Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, and New Guinea. Indonesia i