(VOVworld) – The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat opened in Hua Hin, 200 kilometres south of Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday. The Vietnamese delegation is led by Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
The retreat focused on various issues such as developing orientations towards ASEAN’s 2015 vision; reinforcing peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia, and enhancing ASEAN’s strategic role in the region. It is also be a chance to boost ASEAN’s strategic partnership with China on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of its establishment and to prepare for the 16th ASEAN summit in Brunei in October.
Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said ASEAN and China need to build trust in all areas. He called on both sides to strictly implement East Sea-related documents such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) so as to reach an agreement on Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
At a press conference following the Senior Officials Meeting, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow said “ASEAN Foreign Ministers will discuss a number of issues that the bloc will raise in the ASEAN-China meeting in Beijing scheduled for late this month on top of the need to build ASEAN into a stronger organization. The top diplomats will also talk about the development of an ASEAN vision after an ASEAN community is established by 2015.”
The delegation chiefs of Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Vietnam held a consultative meeting on Tuesday.
Xuan Son, VOV correspondent in Thailand