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Modi returns home from Laos

Duterte was thrust into the media spotlight following his controversial statement against US President Barack Obama, which prompted the White House to nix planned bilateral talks between the two leaders at the summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday stressed the importance of India's "Act East" policy and said ASEAN, the association of southeast Asian nations, was central to India's objective in that direction.

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The Thai prime minister then jointed in witnessing the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Lao PDR on joint energy development, which will see Thailand increase its purchase of power from Lao from 7,000 Megawatts to 9,000. You have now viewed your allowance of free articles. Obama brought that up again. He also said that India as already implemented 54 activities mentioned in the ASEAN-India Plan of Action.

The two sides shared the same perspective on the South China Sea, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

"We reaffirm our respect for and commitment to the freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognized principles of worldwide law, including the 1982 UNCLOS", reads the Joint Statement of the 19th ASEAN-China Summit.

"The leaders noted our joint commitment, fulfilled by the United States in advance of the G20 Leaders' Summit, to join the Paris Agreement this year as well as our resolve to adopt an ambitious HFC amendment to the Montreal Protocol this year", the official added. "Political security cooperation is a key emergent pillar of our relationships", he said.

The India-Asean Summit will be followed by the 11th East Asia Summit on Thursday. Cambodia, for example, remains firmly in China's camp, as is Laos to a large extent, preventing any robust statement from the consensus-bound ASEAN group.

State leaders, ministers and other high-ranking officials from 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan and South Korea meet annually to discuss cooperation and major global and regional issues.

ASEAN and China celebrate their silver anniversary following a tumultuous year of escalating tensions, particularly with regard to the competing claims in the South China Sea. He said the Philippines is now focusing on the ASEAN Summit.

They looked forward to lifting China-ASEAN relations to a new level to promote regional peace and development. "We should be highly alert against the mischief-making intentions of people who spread such groundless information in such situations". In a personal statement released on Tuesday morning in Vientiane, Duterte said the meeting between the United States and the Philippines has been mutually agreed upon to be moved to a later date.

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Modi returns home from Laos