The ASEAN Summit in Laos focuses on various issues including regional security, trade, and sustainable development
The ASEAN Summit took place in Vientiane, Laos, from October 6 to 11, with numerous Southeast Asian leaders in attendance. Key discussion points included the Myanmar crisis and the situation in the South China Sea. Leaders also held multilateral talks to discuss economic cooperation and regional security.
Among the attendees were Japan's newly appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Thailand's recently elected Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, representing President Biden at the 44th ASEAN Summit. Ishiba held individual talks with leaders from South Korea, China, and India, particularly with Premier Li Qiang, following the tragic stabbing of a Japanese schoolchild in Shenzhen, for which Ishiba called for a thorough investigation. During the plenary session, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also shared his views, highlighting three key areas that should be strengthened: environmental sustainability, human security, and regional integration.
Additionally, the Myanmar crisis and tensions in the South China Sea were significant topics of concern. Despite ASEAN leaders' efforts over the past three years to resolve the Myanmar crisis through negotiation, no success has yet been achieved. Furthermore, Secretary Blinken discussed China's pressure on relevant countries in the South China Sea during the summit, an issue of great concern to Southeast Asian leaders.
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