VGP – Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended ceremony to mark the 52th ASEAN founding anniversary and inaugurate new ASEAN Secretariat’s building in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 8.  

Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh places Prime Minister
Nguyen Xuan Phuc's message in the time capsule containing wishes and aspirations
of ASEAN leaders at the new building of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta,
Indonesia on August 8, 2019.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo officiated the new building in the presence of Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Foreign Ministers and representatives from ASEAN Member States together with about 600 other guests. 

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Widodo highlighted the significance of the building which reflects ASEAN’s vitality and self-reliance spirit. 

Mentioning ASEAN’s successes since its inception in 1967, Widodo lauded ASEAN’s spirit of solidarity, creativity as well as its commitments to promoting dialogues and cooperation in favor of peaceful, open, transparent, and rule-based Indo-Pacific Region.

The new building, located on Jalan Trunojoyo in South Jakarta, near the current ASEAN Secretariat building, will better accommodate and promote cooperation among the ASEAN community.

Thursday’s event will include the creation of time capsule containing the hopes and visions of the leaders of ASEAN member states for the future -- which will be opened in 2042 on what will be the 75th anniversary of the signing of the ASEAN Declaration.

On behalf of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Minh placed the Vietnamese Government chief’s future message into the time capsule at the new building. 

On this occasion, Deputy PM, FM Minh presented a lacquer painting on Vietnamese golden bamboos which displays Vietnamese culture in the harmonious combination of all ASEAN member countries’ cultures./.