Malaysia officially handed over the ASEAN chairmanship to the Philippines on Tuesday (28 October), marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Southeast Asian bloc as it heads toward 2026.
The handover ceremony took place at the conclusion of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim symbolically passed the leadership gavel to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Although Malaysia’s term as ASEAN chair will officially conclude at the end of 2025, this transition signals that Manila is preparing to shoulder major responsibilities in addressing two of the region’s most pressing issues: escalating tensions in the South China Sea and the prolonged crisis in Myanmar.
South China Sea: A Top Priority Under New Leadership
The Philippines will lead ASEAN with an unavoidable agenda: the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Alongside Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam, the Philippines is one of four ASEAN member states with overlapping claims in the strategically important waters linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
These claims frequently clash with China’s expansive assertions of sovereignty, despite the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which found Beijing’s claims to have no legal basis.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing have risen sharply in recent years, with maritime incidents occurring almost routinely.
A Southeast Asian diplomat attending the Kuala Lumpur summit noted, “The South China Sea only becomes an area of focus when incidents on the ground heat up... and they have been heating up.”
ASEAN and China have been negotiating for more than two decades on a Code of Conduct (CoC) for the contested waters. The hope is that the document can be finalized in the coming year to govern interactions in the disputed maritime region.
Diplomacy and the Philippines’ Approach Toward China
In his speech at the Kuala Lumpur Summit, Marcos emphasized the importance of commitment to regional cooperation.
“There are positive outcomes to be gained if we commit to cooperation and meaningful engagement, especially in the South China Sea,” he stated.
Marcos also stressed that cooperation between ASEAN and China must be grounded in mutual respect and international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“Cooperation cannot exist alongside coercion,” he asserted.
The Philippine president further proposed more practical diplomatic measures, including mechanisms to secure fishermen’s access to traditional fishing grounds and limits on activities around uninhabited features in order to avoid clashes at sea.
Myanmar Challenge: A Test of ASEAN Diplomacy
Beyond the South China Sea, the Philippines faces another major challenge in the form of Myanmar’s ongoing crisis, which has shown no signs of easing since the 2021 military coup. The country is now embroiled in a civil war and will hold general elections on December 28.
However, according to ASEAN diplomatic sources, the organization will not send observers to Myanmar—a setback for the junta, which seeks international legitimacy. Still, some member states may choose to send their own observers independently.
As the chair of ASEAN, the Philippines will have the significant task of forging a unified stance toward Myanmar's military regime. This includes deciding whether to invite its leaders back to high-level meetings, from which they have been excluded thus far. Manila will also lead negotiations on appointing a permanent ASEAN envoy for Myanmar.
Malaysia’s Legacy and Leadership Transition
Under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” Malaysia organized more than 300 ASEAN meetings throughout its chairmanship, underscoring its commitment to regional unity and resilience.
Two major achievements marked Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership: the admission of Timor-Leste as ASEAN’s 11th member and the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord between Cambodia and Thailand. In addition, Malaysia hosted the ASEAN–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)–China Summit as well as the second ASEAN–GCC Summit, strengthening cross-regional economic and investment ties.
Anwar described his tenure as a journey of “building new bridges and proving that ASEAN’s mission remains relevant when pursued with patience and common sense.”
In his poetic closing remarks, he quoted Shakespeare, “In today’s world, where constancy is a rare virtue, Shakespeare warns us against being slaves to passion and urges, and that we should be guided by reason to remain steadfast amidst the stirrings and frenzies of the moment.”
He concluded his term by expressing gratitude to the Malaysian people for their support and hospitality, which he said were essential to the success of the chairmanship year.
The Philippines Looking Toward 2026 with Optimism
Although the Philippines will not officially assume the chairmanship until 1 January 2026, Marcos has already outlined a new direction for ASEAN under the theme “Navigating Our Future Together.” All major summit events that year will take place at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.
In a light-hearted moment, Marcos remarked, “I think it means I’m still on probation,” after ASEAN staff briefly took back the gavel following the photo session. Behind the humor, however, lies the weight of the responsibilities ahead.
As the incoming chair, the Philippines has pledged to strengthen “anchors of peace and security, build corridors of prosperity, and enhance community empowerment.” Marcos also reaffirmed his commitment to upholding ASEAN centrality, the principle that ASEAN must remain at the core of regional dialogue and conflict resolution, free from dominance by external powers.
The Philippines last chaired ASEAN in 2017. This time, amid a more complex and challenging geopolitical landscape, Manila is expected to steer the region toward a new trajectory.
