ASEAN Summit Seeks Increased Regional Links

HANOI, Jul. 9 – The 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meetings will take place in Hanoi from July 19-23 and are set to examine ways in which the ASEAN charter can be better implemented and the new administrative apparatus used to better forge links between members.

Vietnam’s deputy foreign minister, Pham Quang Vinh said that “the regional foreign ministers will discuss practical measures to realize the tasks set at the Hanoi ASEAN summit, which is aimed at extending links amongst member countries.” Also on the agenda are talks to discuss joining responses to global issues and ASEAN’s position and role in regional and international arenas.

Twenty seven delegates are expected to attend, including the 10 ASEAN Ministers and ministers from other economies and ASEAN partners, including observers from Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

ASEAN is comprised of ten member states: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. If combined as one nation, it would be the ninth largest in the world with a population of 580 million and a GDP of US$1.5 trillion. As the bloc of nations has gained increasing importance, it has continued its push to create a pan Asian trading bloc by 2013 with free trade agreements with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Korea.