The Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, attends the two meetings (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at the two functions, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh underscored the designing of cooperation mechanisms to build trust and the fortification of solidarity, self-resilience and central role of ASEAN based on international law and the bloc’s basic regulations in a bid to build a peaceful, safe, and rules-based community. He also talked about communications activities to raise public awareness of the ASEAN community, which Vietnam is undertaking via a national plan for 2017 – 2020.

Minh said available resources of the ASEAN Secretariat should be utilized, while its role be promoted.

Mr. Minh praised Singapore’s initiative of building the ASEAN network of smart cities toward an innovative and people-centred ASEAN community.