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PM Lee to attend Asean Summit in Indonesia; regional integration, Myanmar among issues on the agenda

2023-09-08 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-亚洲原网页

JAKARTA – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will attend the 43rd Asean Summit from Tuesday to Thursday.

He will lead the Singapore delegation at the summit in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Monday.

This will be the second of two high-level summits hosted by Indonesia as Asean chairman in 2023. The first was held in May in Labuan Bajo, a town on the western tip of Indonesia’s Flores Island.

The PMO said that under Indonesia’s chairmanship theme “Asean Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”, the bloc’s leaders will discuss strengthening Asean integration and expanding collaboration in key areas such as the digital and green economies.

“The leaders will also discuss ways to ensure Asean’s continued relevance and centrality in the evolving regional architecture,” said the PMO. “They will exchange views on regional and international developments, including the situation in Myanmar.”

Indonesia has vowed to do its best to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, which has been in turmoil since the country’s military overthrew the democratically elected government in a coup in February 2021.

In April 2021, Asean drew up a five-point consensus peace plan with member state Myanmar, but there has been little progress in restoring peace.

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Violence following the coup has killed thousands.

At least nine Asean member states, as well as prospective member Timor-Leste, which will be represented by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, are expected to attend the summit.

Myanmar’s ruling military junta is still banned from formal Asean summits and may not send a non-political figure as in previous meetings.

PMO also said that Asean leaders will meet various external partners, including at summits with Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, the United Nations and the United States.

The Asean leaders will also attend two large-group meetings:

The 26th Asean Plus Three Summit with their counterparts from China, Japan and South Korea The 18th East Asia Summit, which includes Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US

Top representatives of the bloc’s dialogue partners, including US Vice-President Kamala Harris and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, are set to attend the summit.

PM Lee will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, as well as officials from the PMO and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In PM Lee’s absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will be acting prime minister.