Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse chaired a ceremony to mark the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN and 22 years of Vietnam’s accession to the bloc in Hanoi on August 8.

 The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to the event.

Vietnam successfully fulfilled its role as rotational Chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Paris from April to July, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to France Nguyen Ngoc Son.

 Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with his counterparts from New Zealand, the US, China and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on August 7.

Vietnam is committed, along with other member countries, to build a united and self-reliant ASEAN Community, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN today.

Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has stressed the need for ASEAN 3, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum to promote cooperation on the basis of ensuring ASEAN’s central role. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a flag raising ceremony in Hanoi on August 8 on the occasion of the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN and 22 years of Vietnam’s membership in the association.

Vietnam, Cambodia established diplomatic ties in June, 1967, which is a major milestone in the solidarity, traditional friendship between the two nations.

 Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung met Director of the UN Environment Programme Erik Solheim Hanoi on August 8.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has highlighted the significance of ensuring peace and stability, including maritime security, as the shared interest of all states in and outside the region.

 Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy and his Bangladeshi counterpart Md. Shahidul Haque co-chaired the first political consultation between Vietnam and Bangladesh in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on August 6.

 Vietnam will work with Japan and Mekong nations to implement the 2015 Tokyo Strategy on Mekong-Japan cooperation and the Mekong-Japan Action Plan for Realisation of the New Tokyo Strategy for 2016-2018.

 Canada has pledged to continue supporting Vietnam to increase capacity to cope with non-traditional security challenges, including climate change and environmental issues.

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has appealed to ASEAN to intensify exchanges with China to soon start pragmatic negotiations of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), making it effective and legally binding. 

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh had bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, and Laos in Manila, the Philippines, on August 5.

 The foreign ministers of ASEAN have reviewed the bloc’s achievements recorded over the past 50 years and put forth major development orientations for the ASEAN Community in the time ahead. 

 ASEAN Ambassadors in Viet Nam share their thoughts on ASEAN on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the regional grouping (August 8, 2017) and their visions for its development:

 Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung led a Vietnamese delegation to the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) and related meetings held in Manila, the Philippines on August 3-4.

 A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh participated in the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 50) opened in Manila, the Philippines, on August 5.

 ASEAN foreign ministers on August 5 reached a consensus on a draft framework for a code of conduct (COC) of parties in the East Sea.