The consensus was reached at their meetings in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa from September 14-17, where participants warmly welcomed Vietnam’s initiatives for the Community of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Eastern Asian alliance.

Vietnam’s other initiatives for economic recovery and sustainable growth and for expansion of regional cooperation to cope with emerging challenges also received strong support from senior officials in charge of three ASEAN community pillars, namely political-security, economic and cultural-social, ASEAN+3 and East Asia.

The participants also expressed strong belief in the success of the upcoming summits with careful preparations of host Vietnam.

The 17^th ASEAN Summit and the Summit with Partners are scheduled to take place from October 28-30.

The ASEAN Summit agenda calls for discussions of steps to build an ASEAN community and deploy the ASEAN Charter that should highlight the central role to be played by ASEAN in the region’s new structure which is taking shape.

These contents aim to boost the internal alliance, strengthen the grouping connection, increase its capacity to cope with emerging challenges, broaden and deepen relations between ASEAN and its partners, according to the approved agenda.

ASEAN is expected to approve a number of documents aimed at economic recovery and sustainable growth and increasing social welfare and advancement opportunities for women and children.

Besides the ASEAN summit, there will be an ASEAN+3 summit and a summit of ASEAN with Partners, which will review the existing frameworks of cooperation and work out several measures to ensure efficient cooperation.

The Eastern Asia Summit (EAS) this year, scheduled for October, is also open to Russia and the US, of which foreign ministers are invited to attend as guests of the ASEAN and EAS president.

The summit will focus on regional alliance and measures for post-crisis recovery and sustainable development. Eastern Asian leaders will also discuss the Asia sub-region’s expansion with an option to admit Russia and the US.