H.E. Thongloun SISOULITH, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR continued to chair the Summits between ASEAN and its Dialogue Partners, namely China, Japan, ROK, Australia, ASEAN-UN Summit and the ASEAN Plus Three Summit on 7 September 2016, at the National Convention Centre (NCC) in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

• The Leaders of ASEAN and China jointly held the 19^th ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 25^th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations (1991-2016) through which both sides enjoyed a video presentation and launched a booklet showcasing fruitful cooperation between ASEAN and China in many areas since the dialogue began in 1991. Importantly, China was the first dialogue partner of ASEAN to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in 2003 andconsecutively the first Strategic Partner of ASEAN in the same year. In the Commemorative Summit, ASEAN and China leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhance economic cooperation aimed at achieving the two-way trade target of USD 1000 billion in 2020. The Leaders adopted four important documents, namely 1) Joint Statement of the 19^th ASEAN-China Summit to Commemorate the 25^th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations; 2) Joint Statement between ASEAN and China on Production Capacity Cooperation; 3) Joint Statement on the Observance of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea in the South China Sea; 4) Guidelines for Hotline Communications Among Seniors Officials of the Ministries of the Foreign Affairs of ASEAN Member States and China in Response to Maritime Emergencies in the Implementation of the Declaration on the Code of Parties in the South China Sea. These documents will serve as fundamental basis for ASEAN-China cooperation in the future. ASEAN and China agreed to continue implementing the commemorative activities as well as agreed to designate 2017 as the year of ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation.
• The 19^th ASEAN-Japan Summit highly valued the achievements made in ASEAN-Japan cooperation over the past years in many areas through the implementation of the Vision Statement on ASEAN-Japan on Friendship Cooperation as well as various cooperative activities. ASEAN Leaders expressed their appreciation to Japan for its significant contributions to the ASEAN Community building efforts, particularly Japan’s assistance in the area of human resource development, capacity building for ASEAN’s SME, the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration. Japan renewed its commitment to continue supporting ASEAN connectivity and narrowing development gap in ASEAN through the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan III (2016-2020), including Japan’s new initiative of Partnership for Quality Infrastructure, which aims to provide funding sources to the infrastructure development projects in the region. Japan would also provide assistance to ASEAN in the areas of human resources development, health, women and children development, education, innovation and others.
• At the 18^th ASEAN-ROK Summit, the leaders expressed satisfaction over the progress of the implementation of the decisions and activities under the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action 2016-2020. Leaders of ASEAN and the ROK agreed to enhance cooperation on SME development, business-to-business linkages, connectivity, tourism and other potential areas in order to achieve the two-way trade volume of USD 200 billion in 2020. The Summit emphasized the importance of expanding cultural cooperation and agreed to work closely in implementing the ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchange Year and to officially launch the ASEAN Culture House in Busan, ROK in 2017.
• The Leaders of ASEAN and Australia convened the First ASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit following the elevation of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations to a strategic level in 2014 and the decision to convene meeting at the Leaders’ level every two years in 2015. The Meeting noted with satisfaction the progress of ASEAN-Australia cooperation over the last four decades, particularly Australia’s assistance and support in various areas such as education, institutional capacity building for the ASEAN Secretariat, regional integration, connectivity, narrowing development gaps, among others. ASEAN and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Partnership for mutual benefits. During the Summit, the Leaders adopted ASEAN-Australia Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism.
• The 8^th ASEAN-UN Summit noted with appreciation the cooperation between ASEAN and the UN in recent years, particularly between the secretariat of the two organizations as well as the conduct of joint activities, aiming to implement the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between the ASEAN and the UN. The meeting noted the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the UN (2016-2020) and agreed to foster closer cooperation and coordination between ASEAN Secretariat and the UN Secretariat to ensure its effective implementation. ASEAN Leaders and the UN Secretary-General also stressed the need to deepen partnership in the effort to align the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During the discussion at the 19^th ASEAN Plus Three Summit (APT), the Leaders of ASEAN and the Plus Three countries (China, Japan, ROK) expressed their satisfaction with the fruitful outcomes of APT cooperation in many areas, prominently in finance and food security, thus contributing to ensuring financial stability and sustainable economic growth in the region. The meeting underlined the importance of enhancing cooperation in such areas, including through strengthening the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM), ASEAN Plus Three Microeconomic Research Office (AMRO), the Asian Bond Market Initiative (ABMI), Credit Guaranty Investment Facility (CGIF), and the APT Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR). The APT Leaders also noted the Progress Report on the Status of Action Plans for Recommendations of the East Asia Vision Group (EAVG) II and adopted two statements, namely the ASEAN Plus Three Statement on Promoting Sustainable Development Cooperation initiated by the Lao PDR and the ASEAN Plus Three Statement on Active Ageing. These two statements will provide strategic platforms for APT countries to further strengthen cooperation in promoting sustainable development and the well-being of people in the region. The Leaders also discussed various activities to commemorate the 20^th Anniversary of APT cooperation in 2017.