Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Laos today for the ASEAN leaders’ summit, a gathering featuring ASEAN’s 10 members and a coterie of external dialogue partners — including Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, China, India, Russia, and the U.S. — who are keen to deepen engagement with the economically dynamic bloc, which achieved a combined real GDP growth rate of 4.3 per cent in 2023.
ASEAN’s theme this year, as determined by host Laos, is “connectivity and resilience,” an acknowledgement by Vientiane of the recent headwinds — namely natural disasters, cybersecurity threats, and financial headaches — faced by the region.
In Laos, Trudeau will attend the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit, where he’s expected to emphasize Canada’s “constructive role” in addressing emerging challenges to peace and security, “including malicious cyber activity and threats from cybercrime.”
In June, ASEAN member Indonesia was hit by a string of devastating cyberattacks. In response, Jakarta announced a review of the data-safeguarding practices of Canada and other countries for potential application domestically. Ottawa has also offered to aid the Philippines in bolstering its cybersecurity.
Canada was promoted to an ASEAN Strategic Partner in 2023, a subtle ‘label change’ that recognizes Canada’s growing commitment — including the designation of a dedicated ambassador to ASEAN in 2016 — to the bloc.
Collectively, ASEAN member states are Canada’s fourth-largest trading partner: in 2023, Canada-ASEAN bilateral merchandise trade hit C$38.7 billion.
Formal negotiations on an ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement kicked off in November 2021. Canada’s chief negotiator on the file said recently that the agreement could be concluded as soon as next year.
Trudeau’s trip this week represents the first time a Canadian prime minister has visited Laos, a landlocked country of 7.7 million people.
New leaders set to make summit splash
Last week on the margins of the Sommet de la Francophonie in Paris, Trudeau met with Vietnamese President Tô Lâm, discussing regional security, clean energy, and sustainable development.
The two leaders also spoke about ways to boost bilateral trade and investment through the CPTPP, which may be an uphill battle: according to APF Canada data, Canadian investment in Vietnam has declined markedly since the ratification of the CPTPP in 2018.
In Laos, Trudeau met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country will chair ASEAN in 2025, along with other key counterparts. Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong are all making their ASEAN leaders’ summit debut in Laos.
The related East Asia Summit — comprising ASEAN members plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the U.S. — will also meet this week, although a meaningful joint statement is unlikely, owing to members’ political differences. Ottawa pledged as part of its 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy to join the East Asia Summit, but two years later, its application remains in limbo.
Middle East conflict reveals divisions
Delegates in Vientiane will discuss issues including maritime security, climate change, and conflicts around the world, with the Israel-Hamas war near the top of the agenda.
ASEAN members are reportedly split on the issue, although in July, all expressed “grave concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
