A series of foreign ministers' meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began, and Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, the chair country, expressed strong concerns about the situation in Myanmar, where the military holds real power, saying, "The situation is worse than before."
A series of ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings began on the 3rd in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
The meeting was held face-to-face for the first time in three years, and discussions were held on issues such as the situation in Myanmar, where the military holds real power, and the South China Sea, where China continues to advance into the sea.
At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia, the chair country, said of the situation in Myanmar, where the military came to power in last year's coup, "The situation is worse than before. The crisis in Myanmar is a challenge to the stability of the region." expressed great concern.
He said he was "deeply disappointed" by the executions of four pro-democracy activists by the military last month, suggesting that if more executions are carried out in the future, he may reassess his relationship with Myanmar. Did.
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi, U.S. Secretary of State Brinken, and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also participate in this meeting, and it is expected that opinions will be exchanged on issues such as the South China Sea, where China continues to advance into the sea.
However, China is strongly opposed to the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, so there is growing interest in the direction of discussions involving the countries concerned.
Expert ``The method of seeking political stability by force is unacceptable''
Associate Professor Yoshihiro Nakanishi of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, who is familiar with the situation in Myanmar, said, "There is a difference in attitudes towards Myanmar among the ASEAN member countries, but in the past few weeks there have been a series of executions by the military and arrests of Japanese people. This is why the international community is once again paying attention to the current situation in Myanmar.Through this meeting, ASEAN needs to reiterate its message that it cannot accept the use of force to seek political stability."