Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has extended an invitation for the leaders of ASEAN nations to attend a leaders' summit in Canberra in 2018, as Australia aims to strengthen ties with its regional neighbors.[Special coverage]
Turnbull announced the summit in a statement on his website overnight, inviting leaders to Canberra to discuss a number of regional issues, such as the threat of terrorism and future of trade between Australia and nations in Southeast Asia.
The Prime Minister said the summit would be the first opportunity for all ASEAN leaders to come together in Australia.
"A special ASEAN-Australia Leaders' Summit in 2018 - bringing leaders of all South-East Asian nations to Australia together for the first time," Turnbull said.
The PM had previously talked about the need to form strong counter-terror links with neighboring nations such as Indonesia, and he said the summit would serve to "bolster (Australia's) strategic partnership" with ASEAN nations.
"In keeping with the two themes of today's ASEAN-Australia Summit, a special summit in Australia would deepen our economic partnership through closer links between ASEAN and Australian businesses and the private sector, and bolster our strategic partnership," Turnbull said.
"We are proud to be ASEAN's Strategic Partner; a substantial economic partner; an advocate of a peaceful, rules-based neighborhood; and a highly engaged participant in ASEAN-led regional architecture."
Turnbull said the summit would take place in Australia's capital city Canberra in 2018.
