"All ASEAN members also support ASEAN's increasing diplomatic efforts," the ministry’s Director General for ASEAN Cooperation, Sidharto R. Suryodipuro, noted in a press briefing in Jakarta, Wednesday (May 21).
ASEAN member countries have intensified diplomatic efforts in response to the reciprocal tariff policy imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Sidharto noted that ASEAN prefers not to take retaliatory action against the US policy but instead decided to engage in dialogue with the US through existing mechanisms such as the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
He remarked that it is a shared task for ASEAN member countries to facilitate various diplomatic processes with ASEAN as the center.
Hence, it is increasingly important for ASEAN member countries to consider ways to strengthen the bloc's role, especially in managing regional challenges such as the crisis in Myanmar.
On the issue of Myanmar, Sidharto said, one of the main agendas of the 2025 ASEAN Summit, scheduled for May 23-27, 2025, in Malaysia, is to heed the direction of the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair about actions taken to help resolve the Myanmar issue.
Myanmar has drawn the attention of the ASEAN and the international community since a coup launched by its military junta against the Burmese elected government in 2021, triggering deadly conflicts between the military and civilians.
"If the Myanmar issue is allowed to drag on, it could have an impact on increasing transnational crime," Sidharto stated.
Meanwhile, on the Five-Point Consensus (5PC), he said there has been no official proposal to change the 5PC, adding that the Consensus is very general and a process, not a goal.
Through the consensus, ASEAN urges the ruling Burmese military junta to provide access for the bloc's member states to distribute humanitarian aid, halt all acts of violence, and engage in an inclusive dialogue involving all parties.
ASEAN stated in the consensus that the ruling power should appoint a special envoy to facilitate negotiations and allow ASEAN special envoys to meet with other parties involved in the conflict.
"Indonesia itself, although not the Chair, nor a member of the Troika, also continues to make other diplomatic efforts with Myanmar," Sidharto added.
He also noted that senior officials had held a high-level meeting between ASEAN and China on the Code of Conduct (CoC) at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta in February.
He remarked that the target for completing the CoC is 2026, with three senior officials' meetings and five negotiations at the Joint Working Group (JWG) level planned to meet the deadline.
The Code of Conduct (CoC) between ASEAN and China aims to establish a framework to ensure peace in the South China Sea, where Beijing's expansive territorial claims overlap with the exclusive economic zones of several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam.
The 2025 ASEAN Summit will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 23-27, 2025.
Some of the series of events that will be held during the 2025 ASEAN Summit are the second ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the first ASEAN-GCC-China Summit on May 26-27, 2025.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a regional organization founded in 1981 by six Arab countries in the Persian Gulf: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain.
The GCC aims to promote cooperation in various fields, including economic, social, and political, as well as maintain stability and security in the region.
Related news: Indonesia, Thailand discuss humanitarian crisis in Myanmar
Related news: Navigating a Changing World: Insights from 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit
Translator: Cindy Frishanti Octavia, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Primayanti
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
