Viet Nam always treasures ties with ASEAN’s external partners, hails the partners’ commitments to continuously supporting ASEAN to build the Community and promote its central role in the region, and calls on the partners to continue ratcheting up cooperation with the bloc.
PMNguyen Xuan Phuc made the remarks whileattending the ASEAN+1 Summits with the Republic of Korea(RoK), Australia and the United Nations(UN); the ASEAN+3 Summit; and the Mekong-Japan Summit in Vientiane, Laos on the afternoon of September 7.
At the meetings, external partnersappreciated the role of ASEAN and suggested measures to strengthen ties with the bloc in various fields.Meanwhile,ASEAN member countries asked the partners to furtherenhancethe effectiveness of existing mechanisms,provide support in terms of resources and experience to improve capacity and bridge the development gap, and exert joint efforts in response to transnational challenges, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
Concerning the ASEAN-RoK relations, PM Phuc suggested effectively implementing the 2016-2020 Action Plan with a focus on boosting economic, trade and investment cooperation and strengthening regional connection in both hard and soft infrastructure.He called for the RoK’s continuous support to help ASEAN narrow the development gap as well as facilitation of cooperation in other areas of mutual concern, including green growth,sustainable use andmanagement of water sources, information technology, food security and adaptation to non-traditional challenges.
To promotethe ASEAN+3 relations, the PM underscored the need to strengthen cooperation in economics, finance, connection, regional economic integration and development of medium-sized, small-sized and super small-sized enterprises; andbolster cooperation for sustainable development, particularly in the fields of renewable energy; green growth; agriculture; food security; response to climate change, disasters and epidemics; and the fight against terrorism and transnational crime. He also voiced support for the efforts to enhance ties in tourism as well as cultural and people-to-people exchange, contributing to boosting economic development and strengthening trust, understanding and cohesion among the countries’ people.
The Vietnamese PM highlighted the priority to fostering economic, trade and investment cooperation between ASEAN and Australia; promoting relations in education and training, an area of Australia’s strength and ASEAN’s great demand in its building of the Community; and working together to cope with transnational challenges, including climate change and the Mekong River water security.
He stressed the UN’s pivotal role in the international political life, hailing the organization as an indispensable foundation for a more peaceful, prosperous and equal world, and the ASEAN-UN relations of significance to regional peace, security and prosperity.
He suggested both sides work together to implement the goals set in the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The PM called on the UN to support the enhancement of ASEAN’s capacity in coping with climate change, implementing the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP 21) commitments and managing natural disasters;urge the parties to build trust; and conduct preventive diplomacyto prevent and manage disputes in the region.
At the meetings, PM Phuc also shared VietNam’s stance on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Showing concern over the complicated developments and escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula in recent days, he reiterated VietNam’s consistent stance of backing denuclearization of the peninsula and solving disagreements by peaceful means, calling on relevant parties to exercise restraint and strictly abide by relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
VietNamwelcomes the efforts to promote the East Sea situation in favor of peace, cooperation and development, the PM affirmed, asking the partners to continue their active contributions to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and aviation and navigation freedom in the East Sea. He called on the involvedparties to exercise self-restraint, refrain from actions that could complicate the situation, not use or threaten to use forces, resolve disputes by peaceful means inline with international law,abide by theprinciples of theUNCLOS 1982, and fully respect diplomatic and legal procedures. Vietnam also backs ASEAN and China’s effective implementation of theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC)and soon completion ofa Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
At the ASEAN-RoK Summit, the two sides praised the initial outcomes of the fulfillment of the 2016-2020 ASEAN-RoK Action Plan. They agreed to continue effectively implementing the ASEAN-RoK Free Trade Agreement and promoting the advantages and potential of the ASEAN Economic Community, towards the goal of bringing two-way trade to US$200 billion in 2020. The leaders reached consensus on taking2017 as the ASEAN-RoK Cultural Cooperation Year, hailing the establishment of the ASEAN-RoK Creation Centre.
At the ASEAN+3 Summit, the leaders highlighted the significance of the cooperation mechanism between ASEAN and the RoK, Japan and China to stability and development in the East Asian region.They agreed to boost ties in trade, investment, finance, capacity building for small and medium-sized enterprises, development of a regional bond market, food and energy security, cultural exchange, education and tourism.Concluding the meeting, the leaders passed the Declaration on Sustainable Development Cooperation and Declaration onActive Aging.
At the ASEAN-Australia Summit, both sides spoke highly of the achievementsobtainedsince ASEAN and Australia elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in 2014. TheASEAN leaders appreciated Australia’s support in education and human resource development, including its commitment to sponsoring over AUD100 million for the Colombo Plan in five years aiming to enhance educational ties and people-to-people exchange, and the “Investing in Women” program worth AUD46 million. At the end of the conference, theASEAN and Australian leaders passed a joint declaration on anti-terrorism cooperation.
At the ASEAN-UN Summit, the two sides approved a plan of action for the 2016-2020 period, which is the first long-term plan for the ASEAN-UN relations with a number of important contents, includingcohesion in implementing the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and cooperation in maintaining peace, combating terrorism, ensuring social security, improving the health and educational systems, coping with climate change, managing natural disasters, and promoting the rights of women and children as well as other international values.
Discussing regional and international issues, leaders of ASEAN member states and external partners reached consensus on strengthening cooperation efforts for peace, stability and development in the region. They stressed the need to work together aiming to cope with natural calamities, climate change, terrorism, human trafficking and sea security challenges. Given the recent happenings on the Korean Peninsula, the leaders called on involved parties to exercise self-restraint and facilitate dialogues in order to maintain peace and stability, towards denuclearization of the peninsula. They also highlighted the significance of maintaining peace, security, stability and aviation and navigation freedom in the East Sea; exercising self-restraint; not using or threatening to use force; peacefully resolving disputes in line with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS; fully and effectively implementing the DOC; and soon finalizing a COC in the East Sea./.