Australia, Laos elevate bilateral ties at Asean summit
MELBOURNE (AP) – Leaders of Australia and Laos yesterday signed an agreement that deepens the two countries’ bilateral relations on the final day of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) special summit.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Laos counterpart Sonexay Siphandone co-chaired the summit held in Melbourne to mark 50 years since Australia became the 10-nation bloc’s first external partner.
The agreement elevates the relationship to a comprehensive partnership, which will become the foundation for collaboration on defense, environment, climate, clean energy, agriculture and education.
Laos, the bloc’s poorest nation, took over the ASEAN’s rotating leadership from Indonesia this year and is pursuing a theme of enhancing connectivity and resilience.
Albanese said the key themes of yesterday’s discussions included trade, investment, climate change, clean energy and maritime cooperation, reflected in the leaders’ communique adopted later yesterday.
China’s increasing assertiveness in the region and the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, as ASEAN state, have also loomed over the three-day summit. Myanmar has been denied political representation at the meeting over its failure to stem violence in that country since a military junta seized control in 2021. East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão also attended the summit after the ASEAN agreed in principle to admit Asia’s newest country. The former independence fighter has called on the ASEAN to do more to restore peace and democracy in Myanmar.