US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend multiple ASEAN-related meetings in Manila from July 19 to July 23, 2026, including the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Rubio is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during these gatherings to prepare for a possible September summit between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. This would be the second summit this year following an earlier meeting in May 2026. Trump has indicated Xi will visit the US at the end of September [1, 7, 2, 3, 5, 6].
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also expected to attend, along with foreign ministers from China, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Britain [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. On the sidelines, the Quad foreign ministers from Australia, India, Japan, and the US are expected to meet [4].
Rubio's visit aims to advance a US priority of maintaining "a free and open Indo-Pacific that delivers safety, security, and prosperity for the region and for the American people," the US State Department said. His meetings will include senior officials from Indo-Pacific countries to deepen strategic partnerships, particularly with the Philippines [1, 7, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Key regional issues expected to be addressed include tensions in the South China Sea and the situation in Myanmar [1, 7]. Rubio's trip coincides with increased conflict in the Middle East, including the war with Iran, which affects global trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and impacts Asian economies [1, 7].
The ASEAN meetings span July 19 to July 25, ending with a 50th anniversary event for the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). The 11 ASEAN member countries continue to be key partners in regional security and economic dialogue [4].
Rubio is scheduled to depart Manila on July 23 after concluding the meetings [1, 4]. Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to the US for the summit with President Trump is expected at the end of September 2026 [1, 2, 3, 5, 6].
