On October 10, Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, made his inaugural overseas trip to Vientiane, Laos. During his visit, he is set to hold discussions with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The ASEAN summit is currently being hosted by Laos, which will also see the East Asia Summit (EAS) take place, where the United States and Russia play significant roles, represented by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Before assuming office, Ishiba stirred some debate with his proposal for an East Asian version of NATO. He candidly acknowledged that there is a lack of consensus on this issue within his own party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), leading him to decide against bringing it up during his talks in Laos.
Premier Li Qiang is also attending a series of important meetings, including the 27th China-ASEAN (10+1) Leaders’ Meeting, the 27th ASEAN Plus Three (10+3) Leaders’ Meeting, and the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS) from October 9 to 12. Additionally, he will be making an official visit to Vietnam from October 12 to 14 at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
