The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) has called for self-restraint and the resolution of conflicts in the South China Sea in line with international law, according to a statement issued on Thursday by its chair, Laos, after the group's meeting last weekend.
The statement said the ARF participants also urged the protection of civilians in conflict-torn Myanmar, denuclearisation, and dialog between parties on the Korean peninsula and voiced concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The ARF in Laos was attended by foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plus China, India, Japan, the United States, the European Union, Russia, Australia, and more.