(VOVworld) – A senior officials’ meeting (SOM) of ASEAN, China, South Korea, and Japan and another senior officials’ meeting of ASEAN and its 8 partners, who are members of the East Asia Summit, opened in Vientiane, Laos, on Saturday, to prepare for the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meetings and discussed priorities of cooperation under these 2 frameworks.
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| Representatives of the SOM ASEAN +3 shake hands. (Photo: VOV) |
At the SOM of ASEAN, China, South Korea (ASEAN+3), participants discussed the development of their cooperation, which is the key to boost regional links, toward establishing an East Asian Community. They also agreed the beef up the implementation of the ASEAN+3 work plan until 2017 and worked on the plan for a longer run.
ASEAN and its 8 partners exchanged views on the revolving regional structure and the role of the East Asia Summit (EAS). They touched upon the implementation of the declaration on EAS 10th anniversary, adopted in November, 2015. Participants also discussed ways to enhance their cooperation in energy, education, healthcare, environment, and finance.