VIENTIANE, Laos (Reuters) — Leaders from Southeast Asian countries wrapped up their summit on Thursday (September 8) as the Philippines officially took on the bloc’s rotating chairmanship for 2017.
President Rodrigo Duterte said his country is ready for the task of chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The regional bloc will mark its 50th anniversary year next year.
“The Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship resides on the historic milestone event. We will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of our association. It will be an occasion for us to set the tone for the next 50 years,” he said.
China claims much of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Taiwan and four ASEAN members – Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei – also have claims, making it a hot spot of regional tension.
The other ASEAN nations are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand. Leaders from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States also attended the summit.
