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ASEAN+3 summit provides good opportunity for cooperation: rotating chair

Xinhua, September 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lao Prime Minister and rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Thongloun Sisoulith said Wednesday that the ASEAN+3 Summit has provided a good opportunity for cooperation between ASEAN members and China, Japan, South Korea.

Thongloun made the remarks as he chaired the 19th summit of ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea. ASEAN leaders as well as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye attended the meeting.

Leaders discussed cooperation between the regional bloc and the three countries. They also held talks over the 20th anniversary for the establishment of the ASEAN+3 mechanism scheduled for 2017.

The first ASEAN+3 summit was held in Malaysia in December 1997, a very important time when all countries in the region were facing an economic setback. The financial crisis was regarded as having provided the impetus for this summit.

A total of 66 dialogue mechanisms at various levels have been established in 24 fields within the framework of ASEAN+3, covering diplomacy, economy, finance, agriculture, labor, tourism, environment, the fight against cross-border crime, health care, energy, telecommunications, social welfare and administration innovation.

As rotating chair of ASEAN, Laos is hosting the 28th and 29th ASEAN summits and related leaders' meetings that run from Tuesday through Thursday. Endit