In the morning of 7 September 2016, the Lao PDR as chair of ASEAN continued to convene the 29^th ASEAN Summit at the National Convention Center in Vientiane. The 29^th ASEAN Summit was chaired by H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR with participation of ASEAN Heads of State/Government, Secretary-General of ASEAN and delegations.

The Leaders reviewed cooperation between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partner and External Parties over the past year and charted out future direction, while maintaining ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture. The Leaders also agreed to intensify ASEAN’s cooperation with Dialogue Partners and External Parties through ASEAN-led mechanisms namely ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three, ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, and East Asia Summit.

            Besides, the ASEAN Leaders had a candid exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concerns,including, among others, traditional and non-traditional security challenges such asterrorism and extremism, natural disasters, climate change, irregular migration, human trafficking, territorial disputes, maritime security and safety, armed conflicts, and transnational crime, and developments in various regions which include the Middle East, Korean Peninsula, South China Sea, among others.