The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh to the event. With the theme “Under one light, we are one ASEAN”, the ceremony included a series of performances praising the friendship and solidarity of the 10 member states. In his message delivered at the ceremony, Duterte reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN over the past five decades, hoping the community will continue growing sustainably. In the period, the role and position of ASEAN have been asserted firmly, which is reflected through the strength of the ASEAN Community, the close connectivity in politics, economics and culture among the members, and development in relations between ASEAN and its partners as well as countries’ support for ASEAN’s central role in regional processes. He also stressed the need for ASEAN to promote its activeness and connectivity in order to better adapt to new developments in the region and the world.-VNA