Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. participated in a series of preparatory meetings on November 10 leading up to the 37th Asean Summit and Related Summits on Nov. 12-15, 2020, and rallied Asean member states on several key priorities.

At the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), Locsin called for the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Plan (ACRP) to be a proactive “smart plan” and for it to be crafted as soon as possible rather than being a “post-pandemic recovery plan”.

At the 28th Asean Coordinating Council Meeting, the DFA chief highlighted the importance of strengthened engagement with Asean’s external partners on the road to recovery, particularly in addressing transborder issues of common concern such as counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, the digital economy, regional supply chains, and climate change.

Finally, at the 22nd Asean Political-Security Community Council Meeting, while highlighting priorities in political-security cooperation, Locsin welcomed the inaugural meeting of Asean’s Cybersecurity Coordinating Committee which was held on Nov. 5, 2020, citing the increasing digitalization of activities because of the pandemic.

The Secretary also reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to the negotiations to come up with an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that is in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea. (PNA)

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