VIENTIANE, Laos (AP)

— Southeast Asian diplomats gathered in the Laotian capital on Saturday for the final day of a three-day summit, addressing pressing regional issues such as territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. The meetings included key dialogue partners like the United States, China, Russia, Japan, India, and Australia, aimed at strengthening alliances and discussing security matters. Notably, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to engage in discussions on economic cooperation and the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith opened the day’s discussions, emphasizing the importance of the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation framework in enhancing regional integration and economic resilience. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa highlighted the diversification of partnerships beyond financial cooperation, stressing the need for stability and security in the region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also participated, having previously met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, amid growing concerns over the influence of both Moscow and Beijing. Indonesia raised concerns about the potential for the ASEAN bloc to be drawn into the rivalry between China and the U.S. The Philippines, while critical of perceived insufficient support from ASEAN, announced a rare agreement with China aimed at resolving territorial confrontations. Meanwhile, Thailand expressed its desire for a more significant role in addressing the Myanmar crisis, proposing new dialogue mechanisms to include neighboring countries in the discussions.