53rd Asean foreign ministers’ meeting to be held virtually with 40 papers expected to be noted.

THE 53rd Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meets will take place from today to Saturday via video conference under the chair of Vietnamese foreign affairs minister Pham Binh Minh, an official said.

Some 20 meetings will be organised for the event, including the China-Asean foreign ministers’ meeting, the 21st Asean Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the 27th Asean Regional Forum, Vietnamese deputy foreign minister Nguyen Quoc Dung said at a press briefing, adding that about 40 documents are expected to be noted, issued and adopted.

Vietnamese premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc is scheduled to attend and deliver remarks at the opening ceremony of the event on Wednesday, Dung said.

The meetings are expected to discuss issues including Asean cooperation and community building.

The meets are expected to address in particular the implementation of priorities and initiatives for 2020, Covid-19 response cooperation, a review of and future directions for Asean’s external relations as well as regional and global issues of mutual concerns, said Dung. A draft statement on economic and financial measures responding to emergency situations in the coming time will also be submitted to Asean Plus Three foreign ministers, he said.

Founded in 1967, Asean groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Vietnam is the Asean chair for 2020.