Asia and ASEAN member countries in particular are abundant agricultural resources and capable of providing stable volumes of foods for the world in the future.

Encompassing countries that boast long-standing agriculture and livestock breeding industries, as well as sound experience in food production, ASEAN is striving to ensure energy security within the bloc and supply foods to the rest of the world.

With its investment incentives and wish to build an ASEAN Community for peace and development, ASEAN is growing stronger and is becoming an attractive destination for foreign investors, Mr. Hung said.

The deputy minister said Vietnam is the second largest exporter of rice in the region, accounting for one-fifth of the world’s total rice export. Vietnam is also willing to share experience in agricultural development by sending experts to help Asian, African and Latin American countries.

 Meanwhile, he noted, the Middle East is the centre of traditional world energy, with large reserves of oil and gas. In addition to its oil reserves – equivalent to 56 percent of the world’s total reserves – finance is also a remarkable strength of the region.

According to the deputy minister, relations between ASEAN and the Middle East are growing fruitfully. Vietnam and other ASEAN member nations appreciate mechanism and plans of ASEAN-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and are ready to step up bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, energy and labour.