From Rosmalis Anuar
VIENTIANE, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits officially opened here Wednesday morning, marking an exciting turn of events as several new faces joined this pivotal regional gathering.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra made their debut at the summits, stepping into roles that will shape the region's trajectory.
Wong, 51, was sworn in as Singapore’s fourth prime minister on May 15, 2024, succeeding Lee Hsien Loong, 72, who led the nation for nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile, Paetongtarn, 37, Thailand’s youngest prime minister, received King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s written royal command on Aug 18, 2024.
On the other hand, Indonesian President Joko Widodo is not attending the summits, as his successor Prabowo Subianto prepares to take office later this month. Vice President Ma’ruf Amin is representing Indonesia in his place.
The Malaysian delegation to the summits is led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who arrived in the Lao capital on Tuesday night.
Other leaders from ASEAN include Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah; Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone; Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh; and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
According to media reports, newly-minted Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru is also expected to attend the summits. Ishiba assumed the post on Oct 1.
Other leaders from ASEAN dialogue partners expected to attend the summits include Chinese Premier Li Qiang and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
During the closing ceremony of the summits, Laos, as the current Chair of ASEAN, will symbolically hand over the ASEAN Chairmanship to Malaysia.
At the ceremony, the Malaysian Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver short remarks outlining Malaysia’s vision as Chair of ASEAN, said Wisma Putra, adding that Malaysia will officially assume the ASEAN chair on Jan 1, 2025.
-- BERNAMA
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