Southeast Asian defense leaders convened in Laos to discuss escalating maritime tensions with China, particularly in the contested South China Sea. The two-day meeting, hosted by ASEAN, included representatives from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia, with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasizing support for ASEAN amid concerns about China's aggressive actions. Multiple ASEAN nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, have conflicting territorial claims with China, which asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea. Progress on a proposed code of conduct to regulate behavior in these waters has been slow, with a target completion date set for 2026. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. criticized China's actions as violations of international law and called for urgent negotiations. The discussions also touched on broader regional security issues, including the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar and the geopolitical implications of the upcoming U.S. presidential transition.