On the morning of October 9, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of ASEAN countries attended the opening session of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related meetings in Vientiane, Laos.

The opening session marked the first appearance at the ASEAN Summits of new Singaporean Prime Minister Hoang Tuan Tai and new Thai Prime Minister Lai Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

After the opening session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and ASEAN leaders attended the 44th ASEAN Summit (Plenary Session) and the 45th ASEAN Summit (Retreat Session).

Participating in this series of conferences, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will deliver important speeches, sharing Vietnam's views on current issues facing ASEAN and the region, and discussing with other countries ways and solutions to further improve the quality of regional cooperation and connectivity, consolidate the process of building the ASEAN Community, promote relations between ASEAN and its partners, and proactively discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern.

From right to left: Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Singaporean Prime Minister Hoang Tuan Tai attend the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits - Photo: REUTERS

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends and delivers a speech at the plenary session of the 44th ASEAN Summit held right after the opening session - Photo: VNA

ASEAN leaders take a group photo at the opening session of the conference. From left: Myanmar's Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aung Kyaw Moe, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Singaporean Prime Minister Hoang Tuan Tai, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Lao General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Brunei's King Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao - Photo: REUTERS

Art performance to welcome the opening session of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits - Photo: REUTERS