JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA LEADERS TO MEET
ASEAN officials will become joined on Thursday by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, before Friday’s East Asia Summit full meeting.
As the neighbors ‘ efforts to strengthen security and economic relations, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba were scheduled to hold their first conference in Laos on Thursday.
Yoon has pushed for improved ties with Tokyo and increased multilateral security cooperation with Washington as a major political priority, leveraging the success made by Yoon and Ishiba’s father, Fumio Kishida.
A thorough strategic partnership between South Korea and ASEAN was announced in Vientiane at the beginning of which Yoon said may advance cooperation between the defense industry and strengthen ASEAN’s security features.
Negotiations were likewise concluded on an upgrade to an ASEAN-China free trade area, according to Singapore’s business government, which covers customs, supply network connection, competition and client safety, as well as non-tariff barriers.
The Laos discussions are also expected to discuss a Myanmar problems that began with a military coup in 2021 and has since morphed into a civil conflict.
As a result of the conflict, ASEAN’s people ‘ differing viewpoints have questioned its coherence, credibility, and ability to resolve problems within the 10-member alliance.
European nations have imposed sanctions and accused Myanmar’s generals of committing comprehensive atrocities, while ASEAN has taken a tougher line. The coup has called that propaganda.
Philippine President Marcos before said ASEAN’s proper peace process, the” Five-Point Consensus”, had never worked so far and the union was today” trying to think of new techniques”.
” We have to say… we have not been very effective in really improving the situation”, Marcos told reporters, according to his business.