Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends ASEAN-Australia Special Summit

In his opening remarks, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed that Australia commits to working with ASEAN Member States to make sure the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality, and independence are upheld to ensure the region is secure, resilient, open, inclusive, and prosperous.

The regional architecture, with ASEAN at its centre, is vital in pursuing these goals, and for promoting trust and transparency among our nations, said Albanese.

Australia is fully committed to cooperating with ASEAN within the framework of ASEAN and through crucial bodies like the East Asia Summit and APEC, he affirmed.

Albanese pledged that his country will continue to support the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and ensure the stability and peace of the region.

This year's Summit has four key themes which will shape the ASEAN-Australia partnership for the future: trade and investment, climate and clean energy transition, maritime cooperation, and emerging leadership, according to Albanese.

This is the second time Australia has hosted ASEAN leaders, with the first ASEAN-Australia Special Summit taking place in 2018.

Australia became ASEAN's first dialogue partner in 1974 and both sides elevated the ties to strategic partnership in 2014 and comprehensive strategic partnership in 2021.

Australia acceded the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) in December 2005./.