2016年CRI China's Premier Li heading to major ASEAN summits in Laos

Premier 1 Li's visit is widely considered an important diplomatic action to deepen China-ASEAN relations, and promote cooperation among East Asian countries.

During his time in Laos, he will attend the 19th ASEAN-China summit, as well as the 19th ASEAN plus 3 summit which adds Japan and South Korea into the mix. He will also attend the 11th East Asia Summit.

This intense round of talks is aimed at building on the relationships and achievements of the last 25 years since dialogue relations were established between China and ASEAN. Luo Yongkun is from the China Institute of International Relations.

"China ASEAN relations are important for China's development and also for the regional stability and prosperity and for the ASEAN side. ASEAN considers China as one of the biggest countries in the region, so China ASEAN relations, especially stable China-ASEAN relations are very important for the regional development because ASEAN nations need more and more trade and investment from China."

There's pressure for the focus of ASEAN and relations in East Asia generally should be on economic development, including pragmatic cooperation in the fields of finance, food security, trade and investment, agriculture and poverty alleviation 2, inter-connectivity and capacity building.

China is joined by Japan and South Korea for the ASEAN plus 3 summit. Together they account for two thirds of total trade, 40% of total population and three quarters of the GDP of Asia. Luo Tonkun believes ASEAN would be futile 3 without the big players in the region.

"If we exclude Japan, South Korea, I believe that the ASEAN regional integration 4 isn't very good, isn't successful. We should make China, Japan and South Korea interdependent with each other especially in the economic region so that we can find our ASEAN regionalism to make the common rights of Asia rather than the development of China or the development of ASEAN."

For hosts Laos, this is an important moment in the spotlight 5 for a country which has been largely overlooked internationally. Song Yinghui is a Laos specialist from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations. She says holding the summit in Laos brings a greater good to the whole region.

"Yes, not only diplomatic ways but also in political ways the several summits will make Laos more famous. The more countries know Laos better, the more opportunities it will provide for Laos, and also for the region as a whole, not only on the ASEAN stage but also on the Asia integration stage."