Philippine President Benigno Aquino III left the country with a 60-member delegation for Laos on Sunday to attend the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting expected to be convened on Monday.

In his speech prior to his departure at he NAIA airport Sunday afternoon, Aquino said ASEM leaders will discuss how to steer the two regions into leading the global economy despite the economic crisis affecting many countries. He said Asian and European leaders must tackle their respective burdens and help each other in solving their problems.

"At a time when parts of Asia and Europe are beset by crisis and face uncertainty, it is important for leaders of the two regions to come face-to-face and discuss issues that burden their nations. Now more than ever, we have to link arms and identify the problems that have to be addressed, and for Asem nations to present solutions," he said.

Aquino will meet with leaders of some other countries including Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Norwegian Prime Minister Jen Stoltenberg, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, European Council president Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso among others.

This will be his first attendance in the ASEM since he became president in 2010. Cabinet officials with Aquino included Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and others.

In 2011, Philippine trade with Europe, the third largest trade partner of the country, amounted to 13 billion US dollars, or 12 percent of Philippine total trade to the world.