ASEAN, partners appreciate Vietnam’s ideas, proposals: Spokeswoman

Delegates attend the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s ideas and proposals at the 54th ASEAN ForeignMinisters’ Meeting and Related Meetings have been supported by ASEAN memberstates and partners thanks to their appropriateness, activeness andpracticality, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang told theministry’s online press briefing on August 5.

Regarding the ASEAN Community building, Hang said that Vietnam highlighted solidarity and unity as the foundation of ASEAN’s strength,and suggested the bloc promote its internal resources and hold responsibility forthe common development of the region.

In implementing the results achieved in 2020, the countriesagreed with Vietnam's opinion on speeding up the assessment of theperformance of the ASEAN Charter, the development of the ASEAN Community Post-2025 Vision as well as the combination of sub-regional developmentcooperation with the ASEAN Community building process.

Regarding the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam proposed ASEAN take advantage of cooperation opportunities with partners,especially in procurement and technology transfer for vaccine production, andsoon complete the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework this year toensure connectivity and promote recovery of the region, Hang stated.

For external relations, the countries also sharedVietnam's views on the need for ASEAN to continue promoting the role ofASEAN-led mechanisms, uphold solidarity, promote internal resources, ensure acommon voice and fair approach in relations with partners, and maintain thebloc's central role in the regional structure, she said.

She went on to say that the nations also assessed thatVietnam had well fulfilled its role as a coordinator of ASEAN-Japan relations,thus contributing to exploiting cooperation potential, taking advantage ofopportunities and overcoming many challenges, especially in COVID-19 response, andexpanding and deepening collaboration between the two sides.

The countries contributed and pledged to contribute atotal of 20.8 million USD to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, in which thebloc has agreed to use more than 10 million USD for the purchase of vaccinesthrough the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

In addition, the partners also affirmed that they will maintainsupport for ASEAN's initiatives on COVID-19 prevention and control, and madespecific commitments and initiatives to support the bloc in improving the capacityof preventive medicine as well as research, development and access to COVID-19vaccines in a safe, effective and equal manner, Hang said./.

VNA