HANOI, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 6th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting for Social Welfare and Development opened here Thursday, focusing its discussion on assisting disabled people, promoting social welfare role in development, Vietnam News Agency reported.

    Addressing at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem said ASEAN members will cooperate in dealing with issues relating to social welfare and development, using economic development achievement in settling social issues, and creating opportunities for disabled people to participate in activities of social life.

    Delegates to the meeting should discuss measures to strengthen cooperation and share experience in the field of social sponsor, especially helping disabled people, toward a stable development inthe region, he noted.

    ASEAN members, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, consider social welfare and development an important part in their socioeconomic development strategies, and an important factor in the state development, Khiem said.

    On this occasion, ASEAN representatives also met with their counterparts from China, Japan and Korea to discuss issues of common concern.