On August 25^th, in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, as the chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Brasilia (ACB), Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil Nguyen Van Kien worked with leaders from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry to promote the friendly and cooperative relations between ASEAN with Brazil.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Brazil and ACB Chairman Nguyen Van Kien presents a souvenir to Brazilian Foreign Ministry’s Secretary-General Sergio Danese.

Ambassador Sergio Danese, Secretary-General (Permanent Deputy Minister) of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry; Ambassador Graca Lima, Deputy Secretary-General (Deputy Minister) in charge of East Asia of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry; together with some regional officers of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry attended the meeting on receiving and working with Ambassador Nguyen Van Kien and ACB members.

During the meeting, Ambassador Kien reviewed the establishment and development of ASEAN over the past 48 years, stressing that the establishment of the ASEAN Community by late 2015 would be an important milestone and a starting point for a period of stronger development. After 48 years of establishment and development, ASEAN has become an indispensable partner of large countries and centers, a leading important factor for maintaining peaceful environment, security and cooperation for development in the region.

According to Ambassador Kien, the establishment of the ASEAN Community will bring important and practical benefits for promoting trade cooperation relation with large partners all over the world, including Brazil. With a population of over 600 million people and GDP of nearly USD3 trillion, ASEAN is currently the 7^th largest economy of the world and it is forecast to become the 4^th largest economy by 2050. ASEAN is Brazil’s 2^nd largest trade partner in Asia and the 5^th largest in the world.

Ambassador Sergio Danese, Secretary-General of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, appreciated the potential and the role of ASEAN, adding that the establishment of ASEAN Community by the end of this year would expand conditions for ASEAN to become “The community of opportunities”.

Regarding the economic and trade cooperation between Brazil and ASEAN, Ambassador Sergio Danese committed to increase cooperation with ASEAN and its members.

Apart from investment and trade, Brazil and ASEAN own a wide range of opportunities in cooperation in the fields of agriculture, food security, science and technology, social policies, tourism, sports, education and defence, according to the Ambassador.

“Brazil hopes to become a dialogue partner of ASEAN in the future,” stressed Danese./.

( Compiled by VNF )