MANILA, Philippines — Twenty world leaders, including the heads of the European Union and United Nations, have confirmed their attendance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, signifying the “deep and strong bonds” between the regional bloc and its dialogue partners, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
DFA acting spokesman Robespierre Bolivar said the meetings in Manila will cover a range of common concerns, including trade and investment facilitation, innovation, connectivity and strengthening the ASEAN community as a model of regional integration.
Also to be tackled are cybercrime, countering radicalization, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, cooperation against trafficking in persons, and the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers and persons with disabilities.
President Rodrigo Duterte will issue chairman’s statements for the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Plus One Summits, the ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the East Asia Summit.
All heads of ASEAN member-states are attending: Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Laos President Bounnhang Vorachith, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung SaSuu Kyi, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Dialogue partner leaders who have confirmed their attendance are: Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Trumbill, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, South Korean President Moon Jae-In, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and U.S. President Donald Trump.
UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierres and European Council President Donald Tusk will be coming as well.
