ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat Kicks Off Philippines' Chairmanship Year, Pushing to Expedite South China Sea Code of Conduct

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat convened in Cebu, the Philippines, on January 29, 2026, marking the start of the Philippines' ASEAN Chairmanship year under the theme "Navigating Our Future, Together." Accelerating the conclusion of the long-pending Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea was set as a top priority for the year.

The Philippines, as Chair, proposed increasing the frequency of ASEAN-China technical working group meetings to monthly, aiming to finalize an effective and substantive CoC within 2026. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono emphasized that finalizing the CoC is a critical step for regional stability. The meeting also addressed issues like Myanmar and Thailand-Cambodia border tensions, reinforcing ASEAN's collective commitment to unity and strategic autonomy amid a complex geopolitical landscape.