ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024 to celebrate 50 years of partnership

The focus of discussions at the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit will be Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and heads of delegations attending the 3rd ASEAN-Australia Summit pose for a group photo. (Photo: Duong Giang-VNA)

According to a VNA correspondent in Sydney, on March 1, the Australian Prime Minister's Office issued a press release stating that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Timor-Leste to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne from March 4-6. 2024 marks 50 years since Australia became ASEAN's first partner. The release stated that Australia has close and extensive ties with the region. As a bloc, ASEAN is Australia's second largest two-way trade partner. More than 500,000 Australians have origins in Southeast Asia. At the Special Summit, leaders will discuss strengthening ASEAN-Australia cooperation, the two sides' vision for the future of the region, and how ASEAN and Australia can work together to address common challenges. The focus of the discussions will be Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy 2040, a blueprint for strengthening Australia’s economic links with the region launched by Prime Minister Albanese in September 2023. According to the statement, before the plenary session with the participation of ASEAN and Australian leaders, there will be a series of meetings and events with four thematic tracks bringing together community and business leaders, experts and academics from Australia and ASEAN to discuss issues such as enhancing economic engagement; supporting the acceleration of the clean energy transition; enhancing practical cooperation at sea; supporting the current emerging leadership group in the region. In addition to the Special Summit, Prime Minister Albanese will host official government guest programs with a number of Southeast Asian leaders. Prime Minister Albanese will also host the annual Australia-Singapore Leaders' Meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as well as bilateral meetings with leaders and the ASEAN Secretary-General. The statement quoted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as saying: "Australia is proud to be ASEAN's first Dialogue Partner, sharing 50 years of mutual respect and cooperation with our friends in Southeast Asia. Building Australia's relationship with Southeast Asian countries is a top priority for the Australian Government. The Special Summit celebrates our shared history and focuses on the future - on how to deepen Australia's relationship and engagement with our region." Australia sees ASEAN as central to a stable, peaceful and prosperous region. Strengthening the ASEAN-Australia relationship ensures our shared future prosperity and security. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his wish to welcome his counterparts to Australia to discuss the common challenges facing the region, opportunities to enhance mutual prosperity and how ASEAN-Australia can build strong relationships./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

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