Jakarta, Indonesia - Southeast Asian leaders, led by President Joko Widodo as the host, are converging for their final summit this year. This gathering is marred by contentious issues that seem to have no immediate resolutions: the ongoing civil strife in Myanmar, fresh tensions erupting in the disputed South China Sea, and the longstanding rivalry between the United States and China.

The meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to commence in Jakarta on Tuesday, with stringent security measures in place. The absence of U.S. President Joe Biden, a usual participant, further adds to the prevailing somber atmosphere as the 10-state bloc typically portrays unity and solidarity through group handshakes.

Ahead of the leaders' summit, ASEAN foreign ministers convened on Monday. Mohammad Mahfud, Indonesia's coordinating minister overseeing political, legal, and security affairs, addressed the top diplomats from the region, noting that their "community's strength is continuously tested by a series of crises."

He expressed concern about the lack of progress in resolving the Myanmar crisis, which he believes has cast a negative shadow over ASEAN. Mahfud also cautioned against the escalating geopolitical tensions and rivalries, warning that they could potentially lead to open conflicts that the region would be compelled to confront.