Vietnamese PM to attend ASEAN Summit

By Anh Ngoc October 29, 2019 | 06:32 pm PT

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (front) and Vietnamese delegates attend the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, June 2019. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Government Portal.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will lead a Vietnamese delegation to the ASEAN Summit in Thailand from November 2 to 4.

The delegation would also be attending related conferences, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

After the summit's closing ceremony, there will be a formal ceremony where Thailand will hand over the ASEAN chairmanship to Vietnam.

The chairmanship rotates annually between the member countries based on the alphabetical order of their English names.

Speaking at the launch of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee in Hanoi last December, Phuc had said that assuming the ASEAN chairmanship would not only be a responsibility and duty as a member state but also a great opportunity for Vietnam to contribute to the common goals and interests of ASEAN and enhance its standing.

"Vietnam would do its best to demonstrate the central position of the bloc," promote intra-bloc cooperation and enhance ASEAN's role outside the bloc, he had said.