Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son co-chairs the ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held via videoconference on August 3. (Photo: VNA)The meeting was held in the framework of the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’Meeting (AMM-54) and related conferences.
On behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Son said the ASEAN-Japanpartnership has experienced nearly five decades and is growing strongly.
ASEAN and Japan have become reliable friends who have supported and assistedeach other in difficult times, he said, adding that the two sides have takenadvantages of opportunities and overcome challenges, especially the COVID-19 pandemic,to expand and deepen cooperation on pillars for peace and prosperity.
Motegi affirmedthat Japan attaches importance to the Japan-ASEAN strategic partnership,support ASEAN’s central role and wants to coordinate with the bloc to effectivelyimplement the Joint Statement of the 23rd ASEAN-Japan Summit on Cooperation on ASEANOutlook on the Indo-Pacific via specific cooperation projects.
As a friend of ASEAN,Japan will continue to help ASEAN member nations enhance preventative medicinecapacity and provide them with medical supplies, medicines and vaccines as well as cold storage equipment andfinancial assistance to boost their post-pandemic recovery efforts, he said.
The participating countries committed to holding events marking the 50thanniversary of the ASEAN-Japan relations and agreed on the organisation of acommemorative summit in Japan in 2023.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers spoke highly of positive strides in the ASEAN-Japanties over the past time, as well as Japan’s timely and effective assistance inthe fight against COVID-19 since the pandemic broke out.
Of note, Japan contributed 1 million USD to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fundand another 50 million USD to help establish the ASEAN Centre for Public HealthEmergency and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED).
The ASEAN countries and Japan agreed to continue cooperation in COVID-19response, easing adverse impacts of the pandemic and fostering comprehensiverecovery towards sustainable development.
ASEAN asked Japan to ensure vaccine supply in an equitable and fair manner,help sustain activities of the ACPHEED, and support recovery efforts along withhigh-quality infrastructure investment and development in sub-regions,especially the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Exchanging views on matters of mutual concerns, the two sides agreed to coordinatetogether to ensure peace, security and stability in the region, includingsecurity and safety of navigation in the East Sea, which is viewed as theworld’s important shipping route and faces risks of instability and complicateddevelopments amid current challenges.
Japan affirmed to back ASEAN’s standpoint on the East Sea and applauded thebloc’s efforts to uphold its role in promoting cooperation, dialogue, andtrust-building in the region, ensuring the full and effective implementation ofthe Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and thebuilding of an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) inaccordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Japan also asserted that it backs ASEAN’s role in promoting dialogue,reconciliation and assistance to Myanmar to seek solutions for the country's stability.
The Vietnamese minister affirmed ASEAN’s consistent stance on the EastSea issue and proposed Japan support the bloc’s efforts in building the EastSea into a region of peace, stability, cooperation, security, safety andenvironmental friendliness.
At the end of the conference, Son handed over the coordinator role in the 2021-2024period to his Thai counterpart.
He thanked Japan and other ASEAN members for supporting Vietnam to fulfill therole in the past three years, pledging that Vietnam will continue to work withThailand, the next coordinator, together with Japan and other ASEAN nations inbringing the ASEAN-Japan relations to a new height./.
VNA
