MANILA, PHILIPPINES - NOVEMBER 14: (L-R) Malaysia's Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Johari Abdul Ghani, Myanmar's Union Minister for National Planning, Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Aung Kyaw Hoe, Thailand's Vice Minister for Commerce Kirida Bhaopichitr, East Timor's Vice Prime Minister Kalbuadi Lay, Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Luong Hoang Thai, Philippines' Secretary of Trade and Industry Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Brunei's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Abdul Manaf Metussin, Cambodia's Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce Pich Rithi, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Laos' Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Manothong Vongsay and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn pose for a group picture during the signing ceremony of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) on November 14, 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The Philippines will host the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders Summit and Related Meetings from November 15 through 17. Regional leaders and their international partners are expected to discuss energy security, the conflict in Myanmar and tensions in the South China Sea at the Manila meetings, as the economic fallout from the Middle East war and intensifying US-China rivalry add to pressure on the Southeast Asian bloc. (Photo by Jam Sta Rosa - Pool/Getty Images)