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9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting opens in Hanoi

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-25 22:27

HANOI -- The 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) opened here on Monday with the participation of foreign ministers and delegates from 45 ASEM members in the two-day meeting.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (C, front) attends the 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, May 25, 2009. [Xinhua]

"The meeting sends out a strong message on the determination and responsibility of ASEM members to work together in overcoming the ongoing economic crisis," said Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the opening ceremony.

Held in the context of deepening global economic downturn, this year's meeting is themed in "forging closer Asia-Europe partnership to address economic and financial crisis as well as other global challenges."

Dung said ASEM, through 13 years of development, has become an important forum for Asia-Europe dialogue and cooperation.

ASEM now represents around half of the world GDP, approximately58 percent of world population and 60 percent of world trade, said Dung.

Dung called on foreign ministers and heads of delegations attending the meeting to put forth "concrete and practical actions" to cope with the negative impact of the ongoing crisis and other global challenges like flu pandemics.

ASEM brings together 16 Asian countries, 27 European nations, the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Commission. The ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting is responsible for the overall coordination of the ASEM process.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi led a delegation to the meeting and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.

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