Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, ASEAN General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan and Foreign Ministers of ASEAN visited the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on Jan. 13.

The visit is part of ASEAN Foreign Ministers’s activities in Vietnam to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat, which will open on Jan. 14 under the chairmanship of Deputy PM Khiem.

Receiving the delegation at the Thai Hoa Palace in Dai Noi (Royal Citadel) of the former imperial city of Hue, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Ngoc Thien introduced his guests to Hue' s potential and its famous landscape. He expressed his wish that cooperation in investment, culture, healthcare and education between Thua Thien-Hue and ASEAN would be promoted.

On behalf of the delegation, Thai FM Kasit Piromya expressed his hope that ASEAN member countries would strengthen cooperation for their common and respective benefits.

The same day, the delegation left Hue for the central city of Da Nang to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting Retreat./.