Vietnam's top leader to address opening ceremony of 37th ASEAN Summit on Nov 12

	Third ASEAN Graphic Arts Competition and Exhibition ongoing in Hanoi
	Vietnam's Chief Justice elected as President of Council of ASEAN Chief Justices
	PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc to chair 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings

The opening ceremony of the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings is slated for the morning of November 12, with Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong in attending.

According to VGP, the 37^th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, which will be held in virtual format, are slated for November 12-15 under the chair of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The related meetings are: the 23^rd ASEAN-China Summit, 23^rd ASEAN-Japan Summit, 21^st ASEAN-RoK Summit, 17^th ASEAN-India Summit, 11^th ASEAN-UN Summit, 8^th ASEAN-US Summit, 2^nd ASEAN-Australia Summit, ASEAN-New Zealand Commemorative Summit, 23^rd ASEAN Plus Three Summit, 15^th East Asia Summit, RCEP Summit, and ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit.

On the occasion, PM Phuc will also preside over the 12^th Mekong-Japan Summit and the 2^nd Mekong-RoK Summit.

Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, who is also the chair of the 41^st ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), will deliver remarks at the ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit.

Earlier on November 10-11, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will chair the Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, 28^th ASEAN Coordinating Meeting, 22^nd ASEAN Political-Security Council Meeting.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh will preside over the 19^th ASEAN Economic Council Meeting and RCEP Economic Ministers’ Meeting.

Vietnam is expected to symbolically hand over the ASEAN Chairmanship to Brunei at the closing ceremony on November 15, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Secretary of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee Nguyen Quoc Dung said on November 9.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and General Secretary of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee Nguyen Quoc Dung (C). Source: VNA

During the summits with partners, leaders will focus on building the ASEAN Community, maintaining intra-bloc cooperation momentum, expanding and deepening relations between ASEAN and partners, promoting the grouping’s centrality, raising its international position, ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control, and discussing regional and international issues of shared concern.

Outcomes of the mid-term review of the Master Plan on ASEAN Community 2025 and the ASEAN comprehensive recovery framework will be announced following a plenary session of the 37^th ASEAN Summit. The establishment of a regional medical supplies reserve in response to medical emergencies will also be unveiled.

Notably, the ASEAN women leaders’ summit will be held for the first time, under the chair of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, with the participation of female leaders from ASEAN member countries. The Chairwoman of the National Assembly will deliver a speech at the summit.

More than 80 documents, including proposals by Vietnam, are set to be approved on this occasion; the highest number to date.

According to the Deputy FM, all preparations for the 37^th ASEAN Summit and related meetings have been completed in line with COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

Responding to reporters’ question regarding the RCEP, Dung said negotiations over the agreement have been completed and participating countries are working on internal procedures for signing. If these procedures are completed in a timely manner, the deal is expected to be signed on November 15.

The agreement will create momentum for regional trade, particularly between signatories, Dung said, stressing that the signing holds great meaning for Vietnam, as it has worked hard as ASEAN Chair to accelerate the process.

Asked about ASEAN’s connectivity in economic recovery post-COVID-19, the Deputy FM said ASEAN has been aware of the severe impact of the pandemic and no single country can fight it.

As ASEAN Chair, it has promptly issued statements in response to the pandemic, emphasising the need for ASEAN member countries to closely coordinate with each other, he said, citing the creation of the ASEAN Coordinating Council.

An international press conference on the 37^th ASEAN Summit and related meetings will be held on the afternoon of November 15, chaired by the PM./.

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