Security and Trade Dominate Prime Minister’s ASEAN Trip

Published on October 10, 2024

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Laos for the 44th ASEAN summit, where regional security and trade issues are expected to dominate the agenda. He has also had a private meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, their fifth face-to-face encounter and the second in only a few months. The 10 member states of ASEAN—Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, and Laos—are also holding talks with other countries including Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia on topics ranging from regional economics to climate change and energy. After Beijing fired an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) into the Pacific on Sept. 25, Australia indicated it had sought an explanation. With none forthcoming, this may be among the issues Albanese raises....

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