PM Lee to visit Melbourne for Singapore-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting, ASEAN special summit
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be in Melbourne from Mar 4 to Mar 6.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) shakes hands with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during their meeting at Parliament House in Canberra on Oct 18, 2022. (Photo: Pool/AFP/Lukas Coch)
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SINGAPORE: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit Melbourne from Mar 4 to Mar 6 for the 9th Singapore-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting and the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.
Mr Lee will hold the annual leaders' meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, which will be followed by a joint press conference, Singapore's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Sunday (Mar 3).
"Established under the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the annual leaders’ meeting is a key platform for the prime ministers of both sides to discuss bilateral cooperation and exchange views on regional and international developments," PMO added.
The ASEAN-Australia special summit will commemorate 50 years of dialogue relations between the bloc and the country.
It is the second time Australia will host the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and they will be joined this year by the leader of Timor-Leste. ASEAN has agreed in principle to admit Timor-Leste as the group's 11th member.
"The summit will reaffirm the longstanding and substantive relations between ASEAN and Australia, and discuss ways to deepen and expand cooperation, especially in the green and digital economies," said PMO.
"The leaders will exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, and on how to continue working with Australia in building an open, inclusive, and stable region."
Mr Albanese said building Australia’s links with Southeast Asia is "a priority" for his government.
"Australia sees ASEAN at the centre of a stable, peaceful, and prosperous region. Strengthening our relationship ensures our shared future prosperity and security," he said, adding that he looks forward to welcoming his counterparts.
Mr Lee will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, as well as officials from PMO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During Mr Lee's absence, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be Acting Prime Minister.
