Bangkok (VNA) – The 51st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM 51)and related meetings officially opened in Bangkok on September 6, bringing togethereconomic leaders from the 10 member countries of the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) and partner countries.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh led a Vietnamese delegation to theevent, scheduled to last until September 10.

In his opening remarks, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha recalledthe dream of ASEAN founding members 52 years ago of turning the grouping intoan area of political stability and socio-economic development.

If no joint efforts were made in building the ASEAN Community, there would nothave been such a strong bloc, the host leader stressed.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit,who is also AEM 51 Chair, said as ASEAN’s rotary chair in 2019, Thailand hascarried out the grouping’s economic development plan in accordance with the setroadmap.

The AEM 51 will discuss the bloc’s economic and trade cooperation priorities in2019 proposed by Thailand and review the realization of commitments included inASEAN agreements.

Delegates will focus on such issues as competitiveness policies, consumerprotection, intellectual property, e-commerce and support for micro, small- andmedium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), among others.

They will also review the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs)between the 10-member group and its partners like India, China, the Republic ofKorea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, as well as orientations to upgradethese existing FTAs in the time ahead.

The ministers will look into cooperation between ASEAN and other partners suchas Canada, Russia and the US, and set forth orientations to step up thepartnerships.

Within the framework of the AEM 51, there will be related meetings, includingthe 33rd ASEAN Free Trade Area Council Meeting, the 22nd ASEAN Economic Ministers-ASEAN Investment Area (AEM-AIA) Council Meeting, andconsultations between ASEAN and its partner countries.

The seventh Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) MinisterialMeeting will be held on this occasion to debate the target of concluding the RCEPagreement by the end of this year as set at the second RCEP Summit in Singaporelast November.

Minister Anh told the Vietnam News Agency on the sidelines of the AEM 51 that Vietnamis to sign the ASEAN Trade in Services Agreement (ATISA), aiming to promote tradeand service liberalization in the grouping.

The ASEAN has become one of Vietnam’s major economic-trade partners, with traderevenue increasing from 5.9 billion USD in 1996 when Vietnam joined the ASEANFree Trade Area to nearly 56.3 billion USD last year.

The integration into the ASEAN economy has brought about positive impact onVietnam’s export, helped local businesses improve their competitiveness andcreated changes in building and perfecting policies, laws and procedures regardinginvestment, towards an open and transparent business environment, thus contributingto luring more foreign investments.

Anh said Vietnam is stepping up preparations for its ASEAN Chairmanship in2020, adding that his ministry has coordinated with relevant ministries andagencies to devise access methods, topics and priorities of the economic pillarin the year.-VNA