Myanmar and China likely to be high on the agenda as South-East Asian leaders meet in Australia

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong (fourth from left) speaks with Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (fourth from right) during a meeting at the Australia-Asean (Association of South-East Asian Nations) summit in Melbourne on March 4, 2024. - AFP

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP): In increasingly assertive China and a humanitarian crisis in Myanmar are likely to be high on the agenda when Southeast Asian leaders meet in Australia for a rare summit this week.

The Asean-Australia Special Summit that starts in Melbourne on Monday marks 50 years since Australia became the first official partner of the Asian bloc.