Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday batted for "collective responsibility" and international norms at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Australia Summit in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.
"Just as our region's prosperity has been created through shared opportunity, our security depends on our collective responsibility and our shared agency. We cannot succumb to the fatalism that assumes that our future is predetermined," Albanese said.
"None of us is a mere spectator… together, we will shape our future.
"We must work together to choose and build the security and prosperity that we want for all of our citizens," the Australian premier said.
Canberra wants to "seize the opportunities for investment and trade" that were identified through "Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040," he said.
Despite global economic uncertainty, Australia "certainly does remain invested and committed to Southeast Asia's growth and prosperity."
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also attended the summit.
