19th APT Summit, 2016

Chairman’s Statement of the 19th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, 7 September 2016

Vientiane, Laos 7 September 2016

The 19th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit was held on 7 September 2016 in Vientiane. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Thongloun SISOULITH, Prime Minister of the Lao DPR. The Summit was attended by all Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the People’s Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.

2. We noted with satisfaction the progress in ASEAN Plus Three cooperation over the past 19 years and reiterated our commitment to further strengthening and deepening the APT process as a driving force for enhanced peace, security and prosperity in the East Asian region, with the long term goal of building an East Asian community. We also shared the views that APT would continue to support the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 to pave the way towards deeper regional integration in East Asia. We recognized ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture through ASEAN-led process in the ASEAN Plus Three, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).