Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will lead a delegation of high-ranking officials to Jakarta, Indonesia next Monday to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday.

The PM’s trip, which will last until September 7, was scheduled at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the 2023 ASEAN Chair.

Ahead of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, PM Chinh and other leaders of ASEAN member states will attend ASEAN Foreign Ministers meetings, the 27th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council, and the 34th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC).

The ASEAN Summit will focus on four main pillars: setting up a foundation for ASEAN's long-term vision, strengthening ASEAN's resilience in facing challenges, promoting ASEAN as a center of economic growth, and making the Indo-Pacific a region of peace and security, according to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

The Related Summits will include meetings between ASEAN and its partner countries, including China, South Korea, Japan, the U.S., Canada, India, and Australia.

They will also include the 13th ASEAN-UN Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit.

Twenty-two countries and a number of international organizations will attend the event, including Bangladesh, which currently chairs the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Cook Islands, which chairs the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

On the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit, Indonesia will organize the ASEAN-Indo-Pacific Forum (AIPF) to encourage cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, shifting from the previous focus of security cooperation to specific economic cooperation.

As one of several important moves meant to concretize the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), the AIPF will specifically center on three main areas, including green infrastructure and supply chain resilience, digitalization and creative industries, and funding sources. 

This series of events will be the last to be hosted by Indonesia as the current ASEAN Chair before it hands over the chairmanship to Laos for the 2024 tenure. 

ASEAN, fully known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, consists of 10 full-fledged member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Vietnam has been a full member of ASEAN since July 28, 1995. 

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!