The ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Troika Open-ended Dialogue with Switzerland Trade Minister was held online on November 10 within the framework of the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Guy Parmelin co-chaired the event.

During the dialogue, the sides expressed their concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on the growth and economic development, and stressed the need to unite and closely coordinate with each other in the pandemic combat and post-pandemic economic recovery.

They committed to stepping up cooperation to maintain and enhance economic ties between ASEAN and Switzerland, make greater efforts to ease the impacts of the pandemic on the relevant economies, intensify the resilience and flexibility of the economies, and continue to pursue an open and transparent economic policy.

The sides also pledged to support and pursue the purpose of free trade on the basis of the WTO’s multilateral trade system, and agreed to join hands to reap practical outcomes.

The 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, slated for November 12-15, will feature 20 activities at the highest level, including the 37th ASEAN Summit; ASEAN+1 summits with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, the US, the UN, and Australia; the 15th East Asia Summit (EAS); and the 4th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) summit; among others.

During the summits with partners, leaders will focus on building the ASEAN Community, maintaining intra-bloc cooperation momentum, expanding and deepening relations between ASEAN and partners, promoting the grouping’s centrality, raising its international position, ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control, and discussing regional and international issues of shared concern.

More than 80 documents, including proposals by Vietnam, are set to be approved on this occasion, marking the highest number to date.

Vietnam is expected to symbolically hand over the ASEAN Chairmanship to Brunei at the closing ceremony on November 15./.