Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister

The annual East Asia Summit (EAS) held in Laos this week underscored the critical role that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plays in ensuring a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

"My first participation in an EAS has been a valuable opportunity to engage with leaders on complex issues facing our region, from geopolitical tensions to expanding trade. In my statement, I emphasised the importance of regional security to our collective economic prosperity,” Mr Luxon says.

Mr Luxon confirmed New Zealand will hold an ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Leaders' Summit in Malaysia in November 2025.

"This will be a fitting way to mark 50 years of New Zealand-ASEAN dialogue relations next year," Mr Luxon says.

"My Government is lifting the energy New Zealand brings to our relationships across Southeast Asia and we continue to deepen our ties with ASEAN. This includes work to upgrade to a New Zealand-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."

Mr Luxon held bilateral talks with the leaders of Cambodia, India, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Thailand. He also delivered a speech to the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit.

"I had a lengthy and warm bilateral with Prime Minister Modi, who invited me to visit India in the new year. We discussed the many connections between India and New Zealand, how we could grow the relationship further, and the contribution the 300,000 India diaspora make to New Zealand both culturally and economically.

"I also sat with Prime Minister Modi at the Leaders' Gala dinner where we continued our conversation. We will look at finding a mutually agreeable time to visit India early in 2025."

Prime Minister Luxon also met with the Prime Ministers of Canada and Australia in Laos. Prime Ministers Trudeau, Albanese and Luxon traversed common interests such as their work together on the troubling situation in the Middle East, CPTPP, and the Commonwealth.

Mr Luxon arrives back in New Zealand on Saturday.

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