Southeast Asian nations cautiously optimistic of progress on Myanmar and South China Sea conflicts

By DAVID RISING
Associated Press

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — China’s increasingly assertive posture in the South China Sea and escalating violence in Myanmar have topped the agenda for Southeast Asian diplomats in Laos, with the Laotian foreign minister expressing guarded optimism that progress could be made this year on both acrimonious issues. The foreign minister of Laos, which is this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, told reporters on Monday that Thailand is moving ahead with plans to provide more humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, where more than 2.6 million people have been displaced by civil war.