Southeast Asian foreign ministers gathered Sunday for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc's new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Malaysia takes its turn as rotating chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations as the bloc contends with Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea and a faltering ASEAN peace process for Myanmar, where the ruling military plans to hold an election this year.

The regional bloc ASEAN and China should make headway on a protracted code of conduct for the South China Sea by tackling thorny "milestone issues", including its scope and if it can be legally binding,

Southeast Asian foreign ministers convene in Malaysia to address pressing regional issues including Myanmar's civil unrest and tensions in the South China Sea. As ASEAN chair, Malaysia pushes for progress amid skepticism about resolving conflicts swiftly.

LANGKAWI: The ongoing Myanmar crisis and tensions in the South China Sea will feature in the discussions at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat here during the weekend, says Malaysian Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.