Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for deeper market integration with Southeast Asia during annual summit talks where territorial disputes in the South China Sea are likely to be high on the agenda.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will represent the United States at the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) summits in Laos this week and expects to discuss human rights in Myanmar, China's "irresponsible" behavior in the South China Sea and Ukraine,

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.