I will visit Malaysia on 5-6 August to join foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its key partners at the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Minister's Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the ASEAN-Australia Ministerial Meeting.
With the shift of strategic and economic weight towards the Indo-Pacific region, ASEAN-led institutions such as the EAS and ARF play an increasingly important role in responding to strategic challenges and managing tensions in the region. ASEAN is now Australia's second largest trading partner with a GDP which has quadrupled since 2000.
At the EAS and ASEAN Regional Forum I will focus on urgent political and national security challenges facing our region, including countering violent extremism and addressing maritime security issues. I will register Australia's concern over rising tensions in the South China Sea and will continue to advocate for an effective mechanism to prosecute those responsible for bringing down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.
I will meet with the Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and other senior ministers to advance Australia's strategic and economic interests in Malaysia, our eighth largest trading partner.
I will also meet separately with my counterpart Ministers from Indonesia, United States, China and other countries to discuss key bilateral and regional issues.
As part of this visit I will launch the New Colombo Plan (NCP) in Malaysia, meet alumni from Australian universities and host a high-level women's roundtable promote women in leadership.
I look forward to my upcoming visit to advance Australia's interests in building a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.