The 44th and 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and related summits, kicked off here yesterda

Southeast Asian leaders met in Laos on Wednesday for a summit expected to find ways of tackling a worsening civil war in Myanmar, with Thailand set to propose a new path for a political solution after a regional peace effort made scant progress.

A US delegation led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken will raise concerns with Asian leaders over growing South China Sea tensions and the civil war in Myanmar at a regional summit in Laos.Blinken’s attendance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit this week is one of his last opportunities to convey Washington’s regional interest in person ahead of the November presidential election in the US.