ASEAN 2020: online meetings save travel, organisations costs
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Secretary of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee Nguyen Quoc Dung spoke of the organisation of the upcoming 36th ASEAN Summit as well as topics to be tabled for discussion at the meeting, during a press conference in Hanoi on June 23.
The press conference on the 36th ASEAN Summit. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Secretary of theNational ASEAN 2020 Committee Nguyen Quoc Dung spoke of the organisation of theupcoming 36th ASEAN Summit as well as topics to be tabled fordiscussion at the meeting, during a press conference in Hanoi on June 23.
Notingthat ASEAN has wanted to increase online meetings for years to cut travel andorganisation costs but yet to realize it, Dung said the COVID-19 pandemic hasforced the bloc’s member countries to do it this year, which took placeeffectively.
Accordingto him, the difference in time zone is the biggest challenge in holding videoconferences with ASEAN partners, such as the upcoming meetings within theEast-Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) with theparticipation of 27 countries, including those from North America andAustralia.
Asfor issues to be discussed at the summit, Deputy FM Dung said ASEAN leaderswill seek ways to increase intra-bloc trade, adding that the COVID-19 pandemichas reminded the member countries to optimise their domestic markets and theASEAN market.
Regardinglabour movement, the Deputy Minister said ASEAN is optimistic that legalframeworks and agreements within the bloc will ensure adequate conditions forlabour movement inside the bloc.
Mentioningthe Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Dung stressed that thedeal is a priority of ASEAN and its negotiation partners. He said except for Indiathat has temporarily withdrawn from the negotiations, the remainingparticipants are resolved to sign the deal this year.
TheDeputy FM also said intensified strategic competition between the US and China,and among powers is posing many challenges to not only the ASEAN but also theworld as a whole. Dung affirmed that ASEAN will not take sides and has its ownstance on regional and international issues.
Citingthe issuance of the “ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific” under which the blochas expressed its viewpoints on the region as well as its principles, he saidthat is the way for ASEAN to maintain its central role in the region.
“Ibelieve that this spirit will be upheld at the 36th ASEAN Summit,slated for June 26, as well as at the 37th summit in November,” hesaid./.
The upcoming 36th ASEAN Summit will focus on the development of the ASEAN Community in the immediate future and measures to address the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the region, Deputy Foreign Minister and General Secretary of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee Nguyen Quoc Dung has said.
Ministers from countries participating in negotiations over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) gathered at the 10th intersessional meeting held in the form of a video conference on June 23 under the chair of Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh.
A virtual 23rd meeting of the ASEAN Social-Cultural Community (ASCC) Council took place in Hanoi on June 23, with the ten ministers in charge of ASCC, the ASEAN Secretary General, delegates from member countries, and the ASEAN Secretariat taking part.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The press conference on the 36th ASEAN Summit. (Photo: VNA) 
