15 July 2016 – Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. joined 54 leaders from Asia and Europe in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
In his statement, the Secretary emphasized the importance of a balanced treatment of the three pillars of the Asia-Europe Meeting: the political; the economic; and the social, cultural, and educational pillars.
The Secretary stated that the Philippines welcomes the issuance of the arbitral Award on the South China Sea, and reiterated the Philippines’ respect for this milestone decision as an important contribution to ongoing efforts in addressing disputes in the South China Sea. END