Laotian President Thongloun warns on risk of 'large-scale wars'

Rising geopolitical tensions around the world "have the potential to escalate into large-scale wars," Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith warned at Nikkei's Future of Asia forum on Friday.

In a sobering speech, he spoke of global challenges that are "becoming more formidable to address if left unattended." Thongloun's remarks came as Russia's war in Ukraine drags on and concerns mount over a possible military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait. Still, he did not refer to any specific conflict or confrontation.