President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday disclosed that the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are facing increasing transnational problems as he warned it could undermine the peace and stability of the region.

During the 27th ASEAN-Japan Summit in Laos, Marcos cited the unilateral actions in the East and South China Seas as among the risks as he urged his fellow ASEAN leaders to remain resolute in addressing transnational challenges.

“The common problems in our region are increasingly transnational. Unilateral actions in the East and in the South China Sea continue to undermine peace and stability in the region,” Marcos said.

“We, therefore, must remain steadfast in our responsibility, building on mutual trust, in upholding maritime security and cooperation, territorial integrity, disarmament, and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons,” he added.

Marcos mentioned that ASEAN-Japan relations continue to fortify a rules-based Indo-Pacific Region that is free and open through shared fundamental principles in fostering peace, stability, and prosperity.

He also lauded Japan’s commitment to partnering for peace and stability through the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus.

“The Philippines looks forward to advancing our partnership through our Co-Chairing of the ADMM Plus Experts’ Working Group on Maritime Security for 2024 to 2027,” Marcos said.

The ARF, established in 1994, serves as a platform dedicated to security dialogues in the Indo-Pacific Region—where members develop cooperative measures to mitigate the impacts of compounding crises and enhance peace and security.