Illustrative image (Source: Straitstimes)Vientiane (VNA) – The 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related meetings are scheduled to take place from September 6-8 in Vientiane, Laos, with 42 documents expected to be passed.
This information was released at a press conference held by the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 8 to announce the country’s preparations for the events.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith as ASEAN Chairman, will preside over 11 summits, including the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits; summits between ASEAN and China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, the UN, India and the US; the 19th ASEAN+3 Summit; and the fourth East Asia Summit, according to Phongsavanh Sisoulath , Head of the ministry’s ASEAN Department .
The official added that ASEAN leaders will discuss the building of the ASEAN Community, especially the realisation of the ASEAN Vision 2025 and three master plans during a plenary session of the 28 th ASEAN Summit.
The 29th ASEAN Summit will be a retreat where the leaders will debate the ten-member group’s external relations and its future orientations. They will also compare notes on regional and international issues of mutual concern, he said.
Of note, the ASEAN leaders will hold a dialogue with representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly for the first time.
There will also be dialogues between the ASEAN leaders and representatives of ASEAN youth and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, along with a range of meetings to be held on the sidelines of the events.
A press centre will be set up at the International Cooperation and Training Centre, about 1km from the National Convention Centre – the venue for the summits.
About 1,600 international reporters are expected to carry news on the events.-VNA
