The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has assembled in Laos this week for a series of crunch talks. The group's top diplomats got the ball rolling.

Laos Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith spoke in his opening remarks on Tuesday about a rapidly changing geopolitical and geo-economic landscape that presents both opportunities and challenges.

The agenda likely includes Myanmar, where battles between the military and pro-democracy fighters have compounded a humanitarian crisis.

The junta sent a senior foreign ministry official to the meeting in Vientiane. He's also expected to join a summit on Wednesday in place of the military's leader.

The ASEAN talks also likely include the South China Sea, where Beijing has grown increasingly assertive in territorial disputes with the Philippines and Vietnam.

ASEAN's leaders are set to meet Wednesday through Friday. Japan's prime minister will attend. So will the US secretary of state, and Chinese premier.