Myanmar and Thailand have both guaranteed full support of President Rodrigo Duterte's 2017 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during his official visits to the 2 countries, acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Wednesday.
Myanmar leaders agreed with Duterte that the regional block should engage its external partner "on the basis of ASEAN-led processes and based on the key principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit," said Manalo.
Manalo said Duterte's chairmanship also received support from Thailand officials, who echoed his stance "on the need to strengthen ASEAN and maintain ASEAN centrality to respond to current challenges in our region and also in dealing with our external partners."
Jakarta and Manila also called for a code of conduct in the South China Sea to maintain stability and freedom of navigation in the waterway, Manalo added.
Watch Manalo's full presentation of the highlights of Duterte's trip here.
Source : ABS-CBN