Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính departs from Hà Nội Friday morning for ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính and his entourage left Hà Nội on Friday morning for the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Made at the invitation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, which serves as the current ASEAN Chair, the trip is the first foreign one by Chính since he was elected Prime Minister on April 5 by the National Assembly.

The meeting is set to take place at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on April 23-24, as the bloc is making efforts to build its community, respond to COVID-19, and address non-traditional security issues.

Chính’s entourage includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Trần Văn Sơn, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Trần Quốc Phương, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and head of Việt Nam’s ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Nguyễn Quốc Dũng.

During his trip, apart from attending the meeting to discuss the Myanmar issue, ASEAN Community building, COVID-19 response, and the bloc’s external relations, the Vietnamese PM will join bilateral meetings with leaders of ASEAN member states to boost ties and talk about matters of common concern. — VNS