Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The 26th ASEAN-China Senior Officials' Consultation (ACSOC) washeld in the form of video conference on July 1.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung, head of ASEANSOM of Vietnam,represented the country in the role of the ASEAN Chair 2020 at the event.
Chen Xiaodong, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, head ofASEAN SOM of China,highly appreciated the active response of ASEAN in coping with the COVID-19pandemic.
Recalling that Chinahas actively promoted cooperation with ASEAN countries in responseto the pandemic since the early days, the official affirmed that Chinawould continue boosting cooperation with ASEAN in sharing information,experience, production and distribution of vaccines and drugs againstCOVID-19.
He went on that many specific initiatives have been proposed bythe Chinese side such as the use of the ASEAN-China cooperation fund to supportcollaborative response activities, the organisation of the ASEAN-China forum onhealth cooperation, and the establishment of safe corridors between Chinaand ASEAN countries.
China proposes to soon establish the ASEAN-China ministerial meetingon disaster response and coordination to promote economic corridors in the GreaterMekong Subregion (GMS), while identifying the theme of cooperation in 2021 asthe Year of ASEAN-China cooperation development, and upgrading the ASEAN -China strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership on theoccasion of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations in 2021.
ASEAN countries affirmed that China has always been one of thebloc’s leading partners and the largest trading partner, playing an importantrole in maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the region.
They welcomed China'sefforts in disease control and maintenance of stability and socio-economicdevelopment, and appreciated China'sactive support for ASEAN initiatives on the COVID-19 response fund and regionalemergency medical supplies reserve.
The two sides agreed to together curb the spread of thepandemic and, at the same time, step by step recover economic and tradeactivities in the new normal context. They will continue completing thedevelopment of the ASEAN-China Plan of Action for the 2021 – 2025 period tooutline priorities for cooperation in the new circumstance.
Both ASEAN and China demonstrated strong determination tosign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) this year andeffectively execute the Protocol to Amend the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area(ACFTA), thus showing strong commitment to free and open multilateral trade.
They reaffirmed their commitments to promotingdialogue, cooperation and trust building in order to ensure peace and stabilityin the region, including matters in the East Sea, while fully and seriously implementing theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties on the East Sea (DOC) and soon resuming negotiations on the Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC).
As the ASEAN Chair this year, Deputy Minister Dung said ASEAN has demonstrated the highest political will in fosteringjoint actions and common response in line with the ASEAN theme “Cohesive andResponsive” this year.
ASEAN and China, as strategic partners, should furtherstrengthen concerted efforts to effectively respond to the pandemic and beef upcooperation to minimise its social and economic impact, towards sustainablerecovery, he said, adding the two sides must also continue bolstering theimplementation of the agreements reached by their leaders.
Speaking of conventional and non-conventional emerging securitychallenges in the region, Dung said ASEAN has adopted a comprehensive approachfor security issues as complex developments have been seen in theregion.
Dialogue, cooperation, trust building and mutual acceptanceof standards play a key role in addressing all these security challenges, hecontinued. ASEAN and China should step up partnership in capacity building toactively tackle non-conventional security challenges, he stressed, adding thatthey also need to promote mutual trust and respect for each other, adhere tointernational laws, practice self-restraint and peacefully settle disputes anddifferences.
He went on to say that ASEAN will continue working closelywith China to fully and effectively implement DOC and build COC in line withinternational laws, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS)./.
