Between 4-5 October, the Prime Minister will lead Australia's inaugural participation in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Brussels. This meeting brings together leaders from forty three countries in Asia and Europe with a focus on strengthening economic linkages and building closer cooperation on global challenges such as climate change, economic development and transnational crime.
The Prime Minister will travel to Hanoi, Vietnam, on 29-30 October to attend the East Asia Summit (EAS) and participate in the inaugural ASEAN-Australia Leaders' Summit. The recent decision by ASEAN to expand the EAS to include the United States and Russia advances Australia's interest in creating strengthened regional arrangements to better address regional economic, political and security challenges.
From 11-12 November, the Prime Minister will attend the G20 Leaders' Meeting in Seoul, South Korea. The Prime Minister will work with other G20 leaders in Seoul on further cooperation to strengthen the global economic recovery.
Following this, the Prime Minister will travel to Yokohama, Japan to attend the APEC Leaders' Meeting on 13-14 November. Australia continues to play a leading role in APEC's agenda for regional economic integration and trade liberalisation.
The Prime Minister will work closely with other world leaders at these meetings, and in associated bilateral meetings, to advance Australia's interests, strengthen regional stability and prosperity and promote the global economic recovery.