Leaders arrive in Laos for ASEM summit

Leaders and representatives of around 50 countries in Asia and Europe began a second day of meetings on Tuesday at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in the Laotian capital Vientiane.

Among the leaders attending were China's Premier Wen Jiabao, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and the Swiss Confederation president Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf.

2012's sessions are being held against the backdrop of the ongoing financial crisis in Europe, which is also affecting economies across Asia.

With Europe's economy as a whole in poor health, and with chronic and serious problems such as in Greece and Spain, European leaders are hoping that the strong Asian economies can come to their aid.

Other ASEM sessions will cover a broad range of topics from terrorism and sea piracy to human rights and education.

Leaders are also having bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

This is its ninth summit and its membership has grown to 52, including bodies such as the ASEAN secretariat, the European Council and the European Commission.

The biennial meetings aim to strengthen trade ties between the two continents.