ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh (Photo: VNA)Manila (VNA) – Southeast Asian leaders renewed theresolve to build ASEAN into an example of regional cooperation at the freshlyfinished 30th ASEAN Summit in Manila, the Philippines, according to ASEANSecretary-General Le Luong Minh.
Reviewing the summit, Minh told Vietnam NewsAgency reporters that the ASEAN leaders reiterated efforts to build ASEAN intoa region of peace and stability that promotes political and securitycooperation and ensures economic growth and social development.
Amid complex developments jeopardizing regionalpeace and stability such as tensions in the Korean Peninsula and unilateralreclamation and militarisation activities in the East Sea, the ASEAN leadersalso repeated their support for the peaceful settlement of disputes whileasking all parties concerned to exercise self-restraint, not have actions thatmay complicate the situation and disputes, and work to finalise a legally bindingcode of conduct (COC) in the East Sea.
ASEAN and China agreed to accelerate theconsultation on the COC building and already designed a draft COC framework.They plan to finalise this framework in May so as to submit it to a foreignministers’ meeting for approval in August 2017, the Secretary-General said.
ASEAN also vowed to expand external relationsamid growing populism, isolationism and nationalism, he added.
He noted at the meeting, the regional leadersapproved a declaration on the role of the civil service as a catalyst forachieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. They also discussed theimplementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 and the Initiativefor ASEAN Integration Work Plan III since the plan’s adoption at the 28th and29th ASEAN Summit in 2016.
Over the last five decades, ASEAN has become oneof the most successful regional organisations in terms of integration andcommunity building. It is now playing a central role in maintaining peace andstability in the region, as well as at regional strategic mechanisms such asthe East Asia Meeting, the ASEAN Regional Forum, or the ASEAN DefenceMinisters’ Meeting Plus.
Member economies have become more connected,turning ASEAN into the sixth biggest economy and the third largest market inthe world, Minh said, adding that ASEAN is also the most integrated economywith tens of free trade agreements and comprehensive economic partnershiptreaties.
While ASEAN is working to turn its communityinto a regional cooperation model based on multilateral cooperation, theemergence of populism and protectionism around the globe may affect the bloc’sefforts in integration and foreign relations expansion.
This is not a small challenge to ASEAN, but thegrouping also spots opportunities in this context in order to play a centraland key role in maintaining and promoting an open, fair and rule-basedmultilateral trade system, the Secretary-General noted. -VNA
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