Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha speaks at the opening ceremony of the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Source: VNA)

Following the opening ceremony, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers attended a plenary session and a retreat session to exchange views on emerging issues in building the ASEAN Community, the implementation plans of the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the ASEAN Leaders’ Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability, and the negotiation on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

The East Sea and trade war between the US and China are expected to top the agenda of meetings. James Gomes, Director of the Asia Center, said East Sea tensions have now become an issue of the region and the wider world.

Later on Wednesday, the ministers attended the signing ceremony of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) by Peru, followed by other pending applicants. They also attended the ASEAN–New Zealand Ministerial Meeting and other bilateral and multilateral events.