(VOVworld) - The 21st ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) opened in Bangkok, Thailand today/ on Friday, seeking to strengthen the two sides' cooperation across the board and work towards strategic partnership.

 The meeting was co-chaired by Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission. It brought together 40 delegations from ASEAN and EU member countries, and ASEAN General Secretary Le Luong Minh. Foreign Affairs deputy minister Nguyen Quoc Dung headed the Vietnamese delegation at the meeting.

Delegates will touch upon important issues in the region and the globe and seek to elevate ASEAN-EU cooperation to strategic partnership level. They will also discuss preparations for the 40th anniversary of their ties in 2017. A Bangkok statement and a Bangkok roadmap for promoting ASEAN-EU relations to strategic partnership in 2016-2017 is scheduled is also expected to be adopted.