Top diplomats gather for security forum in Southeast Asia
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with regional counterparts at an ASEAN security forum in Manila to reassure allies of continued U.S. commitment to the region. The discussions occurred against the backdrop of ongoing Middle East tensions and recent diplomatic talks with China.
Why it matters
The meeting highlights the U.S. strategy of balancing diplomatic engagement with China while maintaining security alliances in Southeast Asia.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro delivers the opening statement during the 27th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three Ministers’ Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 23, 2026. JAM STA ROSA/Pool via REUTERS Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, on July 23, 2026. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Pool via REUTERS MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JULY 22: Russia Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov poses for a group photo with ASEAN foreign ministers during the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with Russia on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center on July 22, 2026 in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines.
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