US President Barack Obama said that Taiwan is an example of a flourishing Asian democracy at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Laos on Tuesday.
Obama is the first US president to set foot in Laos. He was speaking about democracy and the values of human rights during an address at the ASEAN summit. Obama also listed Japan and South Korea as examples of successful democracies in Asia.
During his speech, Obama acknowledged the devastation caused by the American bombing during the Laotian Civil War 40 years ago. Obama pledged US$90 million to help clean up unexploded bombs in the country.