ASEAN’s external partnerships key to regional resilience, says Vivian

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, July 23, 2026

Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan highlighted ASEAN’s broad international partnerships as crucial for regional cooperation in areas like the digital economy and green initiatives during meetings in Manila. Meanwhile, a high-level US-China dialogue aimed at easing tensions and fostering stable ties took place ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Washington, signaling cautious progress despite ongoing disputes.

ASEAN’s extensive network of partnerships with countries worldwide remains a vital asset in promoting regional prosperity, resilience, and stability, according to Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Speaking on July 22 following a series of post-ministerial meetings held alongside the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, Balakrishnan emphasized the role of these external relationships in advancing cooperation in critical areas such as the digital economy, green transition, supply chain resilience, and people-to-people connectivity.

As Singapore’s coordinator for ASEAN-Japan dialogue relations, Balakrishnan co-chaired the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on practical cooperation to address shared challenges.

These dialogues took place amid heightened strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific region, with ASEAN foreign ministers engaging counterparts from major powers. One highly anticipated discussion was the meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two sides agreed on the importance of maintaining stable bilateral ties as Chinese President Xi Jinping prepares for a planned visit to Washington in September.

Rubio characterized the talks as an effort to identify cooperative areas to underpin a successful summit, while acknowledging significant differences remained, particularly concerning Taiwan and trade issues. He stressed the necessity of a functioning US-China relationship, given the global economic influence of both nations. Rubio also noted ongoing efforts to implement new trade and investment mechanisms agreed upon during former President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing in May. He stated that allegations of election interference by China were not part of the discussions.

Regarding maritime tensions, Rubio referred to a recent clash between China and the Philippines near the South China Sea’s Thomas Shoal as “very negative” and detrimental to all parties involved.

The official Chinese statement described the meeting as "pragmatic, positive, and constructive," while calling on the United States to manage bilateral differences appropriately and address China’s legitimate concerns. The statement was a response to Beijing’s criticism of recent “negative words and actions” attributed to the US.

Commenting on the outcome, Hoo Tiang Boon, an associate professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University specializing in Chinese foreign policy, said the positive tone from the Rubio-Wang meeting signals continued momentum toward stabilizing US-China relations. He observed that while structural issues between the two powers are unlikely to be resolved soon, both sides appear committed to creating mechanisms that can mitigate their differences ahead of Xi’s anticipated visit.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.