Great and Middle Powers Vie for Influence in ASEAN
22 July 2026
From the South China Sea to the Middle East and Ukraine, the world's most pressing security challenges dominated discussions as ASEAN's major dialogue partners gathered for the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences, reaffirming their commitment to Southeast Asia while presenting their respective visions for regional stability and cooperation.
Held as part of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences brought ASEAN's foreign ministers together with counterparts from the United States, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Russia, South Korea, the European Union, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Although each delegation arrived with distinct strategic priorities, nearly every foreign minister underscored ASEAN's central role in the Indo-Pacific and stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships with the bloc amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.
The meetings came at a significant moment, marking the 50th anniversary of ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, the fifth year of the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia dialogue relations. They also followed renewed tensions in the South China Sea after a Philippine Navy vessel and a China Coast Guard ship collided near Second Thomas Shoal earlier in the week, prompting the Philippines to lodge a diplomatic protest with Beijing.
Washington highlights long-term commitment
Opening the ASEAN-United States Post-Ministerial Conference, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described ASEAN as "the primary mechanism by which we engage the region," reaffirming Washington's commitment to Southeast Asia.
"We're with ASEAN 100 percent," Rubio told ministers, pledging that the United States would remain "a reliable and durable partner" over the coming decades.
Rubio said Washington had committed US$2.5 billion in strategic investments across Southeast Asia, describing the funding as an investment in America's own long-term interests rather than foreign assistance.
Beyond Southeast Asia, Rubio also pointed to growing instability in the Middle East following the collapse of nuclear negotiations with Iran, warning that any attempt to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would create "a very dangerous precedent" for global commerce.
"Iran demands the right, which they do not have under any existing legal mechanism, to control the transit of traffic through the Straits of Hormuz. This is an international waterway. And of all the regions in the world, the one I don’t need to talk, teach about the importance of freedom of navigation in international waterways, it is this region," said Rubio.
On the margins of the ministerial programme, Rubio also met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with both governments confirming they discussed preparations for a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year.
July 22, 2026: United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers his opening statement during the ASEAN–U.S. Post-Ministerial Conference
China stresses cooperation despite maritime tensions
At the ASEAN-China Post-Ministerial Conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasised peace, development and mutually beneficial cooperation, saying the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership had delivered benefits to more than two billion people.
He said Beijing was prepared to deepen cooperation with ASEAN while supporting regional stability and economic development.
The message came as tensions in the South China Sea remained high.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro raised the recent maritime collision directly with Wang, registering Manila's strong protest over the incident.
Earlier discussions also saw Wang argue that the South China Sea should not become "a stumbling block" in China-ASEAN relations, while calling for "accelerated consultations" on the Code of Conduct for the contested waters. He also accused elements within the Philippine military and maritime agencies of provoking incidents in the area, claims rejected by the Philippine government.
July 22, 2026: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reinforced China's support for the ASEAN bloc.
Australia underscores maritime security
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong devoted much of Australia's intervention to regional security, particularly developments in the South China Sea.
She confirmed she had raised both the recent maritime incident and China's missile test directly with Wang Yi, saying Australia remained concerned by "some of the aggression we are seeing."
Wong reaffirmed Australia's support for international law, including the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, while saying any future Code of Conduct should preserve the rights of claimant states and third parties under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
She also announced additional Australian assistance for the Philippine Coast Guard, including drones to improve maritime domain awareness, alongside expanded cooperation on energy security and supply-chain resilience.
"We want a region where countries, all powers, including great powers, observe international law and, in particular, the law of the sea. These are principles which go to the character of the region we live in and the stability and peace of the region in which we live," Wong told reporters.
July 22, 2026: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks to the media, outlining Australia's position on key global and regional issues, including the conflict in the Middle East, China's missile test, and tensions in the South China Sea.
Middle powers deepen engagement
Alongside the major powers, several middle powers used the conferences to reinforce long-standing partnerships with ASEAN through trade, development and practical cooperation.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters highlighted this year as both the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-New Zealand dialogue relations and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties with the Philippines.
He dubbed the ASEAN-New Zealand Post-Ministerial Conference as "one of the highlights of our annual diplomatic calendar." He noted that New Zealand and ASEAN elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last year in Kuala Lumpur, describing it as "not just a symbolic achievement" but a reflection of ties dating back to 1975.
Peters pointed to a shifting landscape of renewed strategic competition, strain on the multilateral rules-based system, artificial intelligence and climate change as the new challenges facing the partnership, and said the relationship "remains our greatest strength" in addressing them.
He said, "Our partnership remains our greatest strength. It underpins our cooperation, our collaboration and our sharing of knowledge and expertise, now, our mutual prosperity."
July 22, 2026: New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand will continue working with ASEAN to advance peace, prosperity and a healthier planet.
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar similarly emphasised food, energy and health security, saying they "can no longer be taken for granted," while promoting India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and preparations for the ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
Peters and Jaishankar also held a bilateral meeting in Manila, where they discussed strengthening maritime cooperation.
Japan reaffirmed its commitment to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific and, together with fellow Quad members Australia, India and the United States, reiterated "unwavering support" for ASEAN unity and centrality.
Different priorities, shared support for ASEAN
Russia marked the 35th anniversary of its dialogue partnership with ASEAN by describing the bloc as a reliable partner while reiterating its support for what it called an Asian-led regional order.
The European Union argued that the rules-based international order it has championed in response to Russia's war against Ukraine applies equally in the Indo-Pacific.
South Korea promoted expanded cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital innovation and cultural industries while warning that instability in the Middle East continued to affect global energy markets and supply chains.
Canada highlighted growing trade with ASEAN and pushed for the conclusion of an ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement, while the United Kingdom announced a new five-year Plan of Action and reaffirmed its support for ASEAN-led regional architecture.
July 22, 2026: High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, H.E. Kaja Kallas reaffirmed the enduring ASEAN–EU Strategic Partnership and emphasized their shared ambition to elevate ASEAN–EU relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
ASEAN remains at the centre
Despite differing positions on the South China Sea, Ukraine, the Middle East and the broader Indo-Pacific, one theme resonated throughout the day's meetings: every dialogue partner reaffirmed ASEAN's central role in addressing regional and global challenges.
Chairing the meetings under the Philippines' 2026 theme, "Navigating Our Future Together," Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro urged dialogue partners to strengthen cooperation while preserving ASEAN unity and centrality.
"Mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference and the peaceful settlement of disputes, these time-tested norms remain the bedrock of our regional stability, ensuring our code of conduct that stands strong against shifting global winds,” Lazaro said.
“We must continue this journey together, because cooperation is no longer a choice; it is a strategic necessity in the fractured global landscape. No single nation can weather this storm alone,” she added.
She also underscored that no country can address regional and global challenges on its own, emphasizing the need for ASEAN to act collectively to safeguard the region from external pressures and uphold peace and stability.
“Acting together, it is our shield against external pressures and our engine for regional stability; if we do not move forward as one, we risk being pulled apart," said Lazaro.
Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro announced that ASEAN had granted Germany and Qatar Sectoral Dialogue Partner status and formally admitted Türkiye as its 12th Dialogue Partner.
The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences will be followed by the ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting before ministers gather to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC).
As global uncertainty continues to shape the Indo-Pacific, the day's discussions demonstrated that while the world's major and middle powers may differ on the challenges confronting the region, they remain united in recognising ASEAN as an indispensable partner in shaping its future.
-Asia Media Centre
Carla Teng-Westergaard
Media Adviser
Carla Teng-Westergaard is a media adviser at the Asia Media Centre in Auckland. She previously worked as an international affairs correspondent for TV5 Network and Bloomberg TV-Philippines, and served as chief editor at the Office of the President of the Philippines. She was also an accredited Vatican reporter.
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