He noted that ASEAN needs to improve rapid and effectiveresponse to emerging challenges, ensure the serious and full implementation ofcooperation commitments, especially in economy and step up innovation-based andpeople-oriented development, as well as enhance the efficiency of cooperationmechanisms in ASEAN as well as with partners.
Minh stressed that ASEAN should promote its self-resilientand innovative capacity in implementing relations with partners, thusmaintaining its solidarity, unity and central role.
He shared Vietnam’s stance on new initiatives in the region,affirming that ASEAN needs to take active and proactive approaches and welcomeinitiatives to contribute to regional peace, stability and cooperation on thebasis of respecting the bloc’s central role and basic principles.
He took the occasion to thank ASEAN member nations for their contributions tothe success of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi last January,marking an important milestone in the ASEAN-India partnership for which Vietnamserves as a coordinator.
The Deputy PM affirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, securityand safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and peacefully settlingdisputes in respect for international law, including the 1982 UN Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Vietnam supports the full and effective implementation of the Declaration onthe Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early finalization of an effectiveand legally-binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), he said.
At the meeting, the ministers of 10 ASEAN member statesexpressed their satisfaction with the construction of the ASEAN Community overthe past years and positive results in implementing the master plan on threepillars to realise the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
Agreeing with the theme of “Self-Resilient and InnovativeASEAN” proposed by Singapore as ASEAN Chair, the ministers underscored the needto strengthen solidarity and unity and maintain ASEAN’s central role as aprerequisite requirement against external challenges and pressure.
They promised to tap new opportunities arising from thefourth industrial revolution to fuel innovation capacity, even and sustainabledevelopment to bring practical benefits to the people regarding response tonatural disasters and climate change, and prevention of human trafficking andcybercrime.
Sharing views on ASEAN’s external relations, the ministers acknowledged thegood outcomes of the recent ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and theASEAN-Australia Special Summit, as well as positive development of theASEAN-China relations through the building of the ASEAN-China StrategicPartnership Vision by 2030 and the launch of negotiations on the COC.
They agreed that ASEAN should maintain its central role in regional forums andpromote relations with its partners on the basis of international lawobservance, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Regarding the international and regional situation, the ministers welcomedpositive progresses on Korean peninsula.
They said they expect important results of the comingInter-Korean Summit and prospects of a meeting between the leaders of the USand the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), towards seeking apeaceful and sustainable solution to denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula.
On the East Sea issue, they stressed that ASEAN needs tocontinue upholding the agreed stance and principles on ensuring maritime andaviation safety and freedom in the region, exercising self-restraint and takingno unilateral action to complicate the situation, peacefully settling disputesin respect of international law, diplomatic and legal processes, seriouslyimplementing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC)and working towards an effective and legally-binding Code of Conduct in theEast Sea (COC).
The ministers shared the view that ASEAN and China need toaccelerate the formulation of an effective and practical COC in accordance withinternational law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), towards a transparent and rules-based regional architecture and theEast Sea of peace and stability.-VNA