South China Sea tensions and Myanmar violence top agenda for Southeast Asian envoys meeting in Laos

By DAVID RISING
Associated Press

LUANG PRABANG, Laos (AP) — China’s growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea and escalating violence in Myanmar are topping the agenda for Southeast Asian diplomats meeting in Laos. The gathering that began Monday is the first high-level meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since Laos took over the rotating chairmanship. The diplomats for the 10 member nations with a combined population of nearly 650 million and GDP of more than $3 trillion will work to strategize on issues of regional peace, security and stability. They were also discussing economic cooperation and other issues under the year’s theme “enhancing connectivity and resilience.”