China and Asean eye closer energy cooperation as fighting flares up again in Middle East

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China have called for a lasting settlement to the current war in the Middle East and pledged further cooperation on energy security. A joint statement, released after a meeting between the bloc’s foreign ministers and their Chinese counterpart in Manila, came amid an ongoing energy crisis. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused prices to rise and led to shortages across Southeast Asia, prompting the Philippines to declare a national…