Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union gathered at a summit and agreed to deepen their ties in the Indo-Pacific, where tensions are mounting.

ASEAN and the EU have been strengthening their ties since becoming strategic partners in 2020. They held their first summit to commemorate 45 years of diplomatic relations between the two blocs.

The leaders of 27 EU countries and nine of 10 ASEAN nations met in Brussels on Wednesday. Military-ruled Myanmar was not invited.

Participants discussed further mutual cooperation to stabilize the Indo-Pacific.

Philippine's President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said, "I look forward to closer maritime cooperation between our blocs based on the intersection of priority areas between the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the EU strategy for co-operation in the Indo-Pacific."

The EU unveiled its first Indo-Pacific strategy last year. With China's growing maritime activities in the South China Sea in mind, the bloc expressed its intention to increase its presence in the region by sending vessels from member countries.

European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said, "Ties between the European Union and ASEAN have grown stronger and stronger, and today our strategic partnership is more relevant than ever."

At this week's summit, the EU announced more than 10 billion dollars of infrastructure investment in ASEAN countries. The funding comes under the EU's "Global Gateway" project, which is seen as its countermeasure to China's Belt and Road Initiative.