Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials’ Meeting, highlighting cooperation on public health, economic recovery, sustainable development, connectivity, and BCG Economy Model. The Deputy Permanent Secretary also exchanged views on regional and international issues.

On 22 June 2021, H.E. Mr. Chuntintorn Gongsakdi, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials’ Meeting (APT SOM) via video conference. Representatives from the Plus Three Countries also attended the Meeting, including H.E. Mr. Wu Jianghao, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, H.E. Mr. Kim Gunn, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Mr. Ishizuki Hideo, Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The Meeting took note of the progress made under the APT Cooperation Work Plan 2018-2022 in various areas, such as COVID-19 response, economic recovery, and connectivity. It also stressed the importance of the APT as a main framework for functional cooperation in East Asia and discussed ways to promote regional resilience in addressing future challenges. The Meeting also encouraged to further enhance cooperation on human capital development, digital economy, supply chain resilience, ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement and early entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) towards sustainable recovery.

Thailand highlighted cooperation on public health, economic recovery, connectivity and sustainable development. Thailand reiterated its commitment to advancing the Connecting the Connectivity Initiative and encouraged the Plus Three Countries to explore regional cooperation on Bio, Circular, and Green (BCG) Economy Model.

ASEAN and the Plus Three Countries also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the developments on the Korean Peninsula and in Myanmar.

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