At the event (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – DeputyForeign Minister and head of Vietnam ASEAN SOM Nguyen Quoc Dung and Secretaryof the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran co-chaired the 20th ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) in Hanoi on April 5-6.
At the annual meeting, delegates shareda view that the ASEAN-India dialogue relationship plays an important role inensuring peace, stability and cooperation in the region. They spoke highly ofthe success of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit held in January 2018,considering it a significant event that opened up a new chapter in bilateralties.
They lauded the progress of theimplementation of the Action Plan for 2016-2020 and a portfolio of priorityfields for 2016-2018. As of March 2018, 75 out of 130 activities in the ActionPlan have been completed, equivalent to 60 percent after two years.
Both sides agreed to push forwardthe practical and effective development of their strategic partnership,especially in priority fields of their strength.
The officials pledged to boostbilateral trade and investment ties by effectively realising free tradeagreements in goods, services and investment, strengthening connectivity in theprivate sector and facilitating small and medium-sized enterprises’ access totechnologies and capital sources.
The participants emphasised theimportance of effectively realising projects and initiatives on road,navigation, aviation and digital connectivity.
The ASEAN officials hailedIndia’s sharing of experience in building smart cities, developing thesea-based economy, and helping ASEAN and India firms form regional valuechains, effectively join global value chains and narrow development gap.
On regional and global issues, theysaid security challenges remain complicated, especially non-traditional securitychallenges and suggested boosting coordination in security, including cybersecurity, and the fight against terrorism, extreme violence, trans-nationalcrimes and climate change.
They lauded proposals to deployinitiatives announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ASEAN-IndiaCommemorative Summit such as opening a digital village in Cambodia, Laos,Myanmar and Vietnam, designating 2019 as the Year of ASEAN-India Tourism,offering doctorate scholarships to ASEAN member states, and holding training courses on electricityuse and transmission, telecom and cyber technology.
Preeti Saran affirmed India’spolicy of respecting ASEAN’s central role in regional processes and committedto assisting ASEAN in building its community.
On the occasion, she laudedVietnam’s role as the coordinator of ASEAN – India relations over the recentpast, adding that ASEAN’s close coordination will make active contributions to theenhancement of mutual understanding, towards a region of fairness, openness andinclusiveness based on rules.
Deputy FM Dung noted that the“Act East” Policy proposed by the Indian PM is an evidence of growingASEAN-India ties, thus making practical contributions to peace, stability anddevelopment in the region.
He affirmed that developing thesea-based economy and improving inclusive connectivity, especially digitalconnectivity, are key to lifting the ASEAN-India partnership to a new heightwith a market of nearly 2 billion people and a gross domestic product of morethan 3.8 trillion USD per year.
Regarding the regional andinternational situation, the two sides applauded the resumed negotiations and hopedthat an effective and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea will bereached soon.-VNA
At the annual meeting, delegates shareda view that the ASEAN-India dialogue relationship plays an important role inensuring peace, stability and cooperation in the region. They spoke highly ofthe success of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit held in January 2018,considering it a significant event that opened up a new chapter in bilateralties.
They lauded the progress of theimplementation of the Action Plan for 2016-2020 and a portfolio of priorityfields for 2016-2018. As of March 2018, 75 out of 130 activities in the ActionPlan have been completed, equivalent to 60 percent after two years.
Both sides agreed to push forwardthe practical and effective development of their strategic partnership,especially in priority fields of their strength.
The officials pledged to boostbilateral trade and investment ties by effectively realising free tradeagreements in goods, services and investment, strengthening connectivity in theprivate sector and facilitating small and medium-sized enterprises’ access totechnologies and capital sources.
The participants emphasised theimportance of effectively realising projects and initiatives on road,navigation, aviation and digital connectivity.
The ASEAN officials hailedIndia’s sharing of experience in building smart cities, developing thesea-based economy, and helping ASEAN and India firms form regional valuechains, effectively join global value chains and narrow development gap.
On regional and global issues, theysaid security challenges remain complicated, especially non-traditional securitychallenges and suggested boosting coordination in security, including cybersecurity, and the fight against terrorism, extreme violence, trans-nationalcrimes and climate change.
They lauded proposals to deployinitiatives announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ASEAN-IndiaCommemorative Summit such as opening a digital village in Cambodia, Laos,Myanmar and Vietnam, designating 2019 as the Year of ASEAN-India Tourism,offering doctorate scholarships to ASEAN member states, and holding training courses on electricityuse and transmission, telecom and cyber technology.
Preeti Saran affirmed India’spolicy of respecting ASEAN’s central role in regional processes and committedto assisting ASEAN in building its community.
On the occasion, she laudedVietnam’s role as the coordinator of ASEAN – India relations over the recentpast, adding that ASEAN’s close coordination will make active contributions to theenhancement of mutual understanding, towards a region of fairness, openness andinclusiveness based on rules.
Deputy FM Dung noted that the“Act East” Policy proposed by the Indian PM is an evidence of growingASEAN-India ties, thus making practical contributions to peace, stability anddevelopment in the region.
He affirmed that developing thesea-based economy and improving inclusive connectivity, especially digitalconnectivity, are key to lifting the ASEAN-India partnership to a new heightwith a market of nearly 2 billion people and a gross domestic product of morethan 3.8 trillion USD per year.
Regarding the regional andinternational situation, the two sides applauded the resumed negotiations and hopedthat an effective and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea will bereached soon.-VNA
VNA
