An annual round of ministerial talks among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Korea, Japan, and China opened Wednesday in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The participating nations held a series of foreign affairs and trade ministerial talks to discuss regional agendas, including financial cooperation within the region and ways to utilized the ASEAN+3 Finance Cooperation Fund established in 2009.

Later in the day, Australia, New Zealand, and India will join the other nations for the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers Informal Consultations to discuss regional economic integration.

South Korea plans to use the gathering as an opportunity to discuss with ASEAN member nations Thursday the future direction of the South Korea-ASEAN Center in Seoul. The nation also plans to put forth its stance on the sinking of the “Cheonan” naval vessel and the North Korean nuclear issue.

The ASEAN Regional Forum will open Friday with 27 nations, including North Korea, in the Asia-Pacific region attending.