Hanoi (VNA) -The 53rd ASEA𒉰N Foreign Ministers’Meeting (AMM-53) opened in Hanoi on September 9. It 𓃲was held online for the first time.

The ceremony was joinedby Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, foreign ministers from ASEAN nations,Ambassadors and representatives from international organisations in Vietnam. In his welcomingremarks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted the development of ASEAN, which has become the world’s fifth largest economy, and its central role in dialogues,cooperation for peace, security and prosperity in the region. Theseachievements have been attested amid unprecedented changes and challenges,particularly in the COVID-19 pandemic. “Cohesive andResponsive” is not only the theme of ASEAN 2020.Together with the spirit of proactivity and responsibility, it has become thebrand name of ASEAN, helping the bloc cope with difficulties and challenges, henoted. On this occasion, thePM praised the ASEAN’s efforts to help businesses resume their operationand regional people stablise their lives. The initiatives, such as The COVID-19response fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of MedicalSupplies have helped the bloc fight against the COVID-19 pandemic whileconnecting the member nations. The Prime Ministerrequested ASEAN foreign ministers give priority to successfully implementingthe ASEAN Community Vision 2025; preventing and controlling the COVID-19pandemic while promoting sustainable recovery. Addressing the openingceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh spoke highlyof the ASEAN bloc which is dynamic in action, flexible in response and creativein cooperation. He praised the ASEANCommunity, saying that with the spirit of “from vision to action”, ASEAN Communityhas gradually taken shape, laying the significant foundation for the ASEAN Communitybuilding process, he said. Entering its 6th decade, ASEAN is now speeding up its Community building while maximizing itsrole and status in the region and actively contributing to the joint effortsfor peace, stability and development of the international community. Deputy PM Pham BinhMinh expressed his hope that in the framework of the AMM-53 and related meetings,participants will discuss specific measures to effectively implement the instructionsof the ASEAN Leaders at the 36th ASEAN Summit, thus furtheringregional cooperation and overcoming challenges while successfully implementingset goals and mapping out the way forward. “We are resolved to overcome difficulties, effectively andtimely achieve the targets in the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, ensure fullimplementation of all provisions and procedures in the ASEAN Charter, and tocontinue proving operational effectiveness of ASEAN’s sectoral bodies and otherASEAN-led dialogue and cooperation mechanism," he said. Being aware that the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic isstill looming, the ASEAN Coordinating Council will discuss thoroughly ways andmeans to effectively push forward ASEAN’s efforts and initiatives to respond tothe COVID-19 pandemic, he said. The AMM 53 is one of the important highlights of Vietnam’s ASEAN chairmanship this year. The event consists of 20meetings via video conference, joined by 27 delegations from the four continentsof different time zones. In the framework of the AMM-53, 40 documents are expectedto be adopted, including the AMM-53 Joint Communique, focusing on ASEAN'scommitment to promoting the ASEAN Community, economic connectivity andcooperation with dialogue partners./.