Hanoi, Aug. 22 -- Member states with diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka held a ceremony on August 21 evening to mark the 59th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (August 8, 1967-2026), combined with the opening of an ASEAN food week. Speaking at the ceremony in her capacity as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Colombo, Vietnamese Ambassador Trinh Thi Tam stressed that the bloc has now become a strong community of 11 members, with a combined GDP of 3.8 trillion USD, making it the world's fifth-largest economy. It also plays a central role in the regional architecture through ASEAN-led mechanisms and an extensive network of partners. The diplomat noted that ASEAN-Sri Lanka collaboration has made significant progres...