VIENTIANE (Xinhua): Foreign ministers of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) endorsed key documents at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which took place in Lao capital Vientiane.
The meeting approved three documents, including the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on the Development of Strategic Plans to Implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific for the Future-Ready ASEAN and ASEAN-Centered Regional Architecture, and ASEAN Leaders' Review and Decisions on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.
These three documents will be presented to ASEAN leaders for consideration and approval at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits.
During the meeting, the ministers praised the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the nine priorities stipulated under Laos' ASEAN chairmanship. These initiatives aim to strengthen connectivity and resilience within the ASEAN community, enabling the region to address emerging challenges and seize new opportunities in a changing geopolitical and economic landscape.
Participants also expressed satisfaction with the development of draft strategic plans to implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, urging relevant ASEAN bodies to finalize these plans for adoption next year under Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship.
The meeting also discussed and considered requests from non-ASEAN countries to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
In addition, the meeting reaffirmed ASEAN's commitment to strengthening its relationships with external partners and maintaining ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional framework.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. - XINHUA
