Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (fourth, left), US President Donald Trump (fifth, left) and other ASEAN leaders at the 5th ASEAN-US Summit in Manila on November 13 (Photo: VNA)Manila (VNA) – Vietnam always respects ASEAN’srelations with partners and highly values the partners’ commitment tocontinuing to assist the bloc to build an ASEAN Community and bring into playits central role in the region, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.
He made the remark while addressing the summitmarking the 40th anniversary of ASEAN-US dialogue relationship and the ASEAN+1summits with China, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Japan in Manila, thePhilippines, on November 13.
In his speeches, he asked the partners tocontinue enhancing cooperation with ASEAN, especially in the prioritised fieldsand the fields that can capitalise on each party’s advantages.
Sharing Vietnam’s viewpoints on regional andinternational issues of common interest, he shared the concern about the KoreanPeninsula situation and called for serious implementation of the relevantresolutions issued by the UN Security Council.
He reiterated Vietnam’s consistent stance ofsupporting the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, adding that Vietnam isready to join other ASEAN countries in common efforts for peace, stability anddevelopment in the region.
Regarding the East Sea, PM Phuc echoed ASEANcountries and the partners’ viewpoint on recent complicated developments thatcan jeopardize peace, security and stability in the East Sea.
He underlined that Vietnam wants the partners tocontinue constructive contributions to maintaining peace, stability, securityand safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight over the East Sea. Theyshould urge relevant parties to exercise self-restraint, refrain from actionsthat may complicate the situation, not use or threaten to use force, resolvedisputes by peaceful measures on the basis on international law, abide byinternational law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), and fully respect diplomatic and legal processes.
They should also support ASEAN and China tofully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties inthe East Sea (DOC) and soon finalise a substantive and legally binding Code ofConduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC), he added.
At the 5th ASEAN-US Summit, the two sides sharedviews on the situation of the East Sea and the Korean Peninsula, along with thefight against terrorism and extremism.
The ASEAN and US leaders agreed to orientASEAN-US relations towards high technology-related fields so as to help ASEAN countriesimprove their capacity of developing micro-, small- and medium-sizedenterprises (MSMEs), and promoting startup and digital economy.
They also vowed to strengthen ties variouscultural and social spheres, especially youth-related cooperation through theUS’s initiatives such as the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, theFulbright ASEAN Research Programme and the ASEAN-US Science and TechnologyFellows Programme.
PM Phuc welcomed US President Donald Trump’sparticipation in a first ASEAN summit since Trump took office and laudedASEAN-US cooperation outcomes in recent years. He applauded the Trumpadministration’s commitments to ASEAN and the region and its support for ASEANto promote the bloc’s central role, successfully build an ASEAN Community, andrealise the target of maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.
He also called on both sides to reinforceeconomic ties, especially digital and creative economy, amid the fourthIndustrial Revolution in order to achieve the sustainable and inclusivedevelopment target of the region and the world.
[PM highlights key cooperation areas at 31st ASEAN Summit]
At the 20th ASEAN-China Summit, the ASEAN andChinese leaders approved a statement on enhancing cooperation in infrastructureconnection and another statement on tourism cooperation.
They officially announced the launch ofconsultation and negotiations on the content of a COC and considered this animportant foundation helping to maintain peace in the East Sea. They alsoreiterated the serious and full implementation of the DOC and adherence tointernational law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.
On this occasion, the leaders of ASEAN and Chinapassed a statement on the decade of marine and coastal environmental protectionin the East Sea which aims to ensure social welfare and improve livelihoodshelping people in the region to cope with impacts of climate change andenvironmental pollution.
PM Phuc hailed ASEAN and China’s approval of aCOC framework and asked both sides to soon carry out substantive negotiationsto build a feasible and legally binding COC.
He voiced his support for China’s proposal ofbuilding an ASEAN-China strategic partnership vision towards 2030. He alsoagreed with the countries’ choosing of “creativity” as the theme of ASEAN-Chinacooperation in 2018. He expressed his belief that with this theme, bilateralcooperation will be fostered in a dynamic and creative manner to improve ASEANbusinesses’ capacity of integrating and engaging in global supply chains.
At the 19th ASEAN-RoK Summit, RoK President MoonJae-in renewed his country’s commitment to supporting ASEAN’s central role inan evolving regional architecture. The two sides agreed to increase cooperationin such spheres as sustainable development, poverty elimination, green growth,economy-trade, promoting MSMEs’ development, e-commerce, people-to-peopleexchange, narrowing development gap, and improving cyber security-relatedcapacity.
Addressing this summit, PM Phuc stressed thatASEAN need to give the top priority to economic partnership, particularlysupporting capacity building, transferring technology, and sharing managementexperience serving the development of MSMEs.
At the 20th ASEAN-Japan Summit, the two sides’leaders underscored common efforts to deal with challenges to regional peace,security and stability, including the East Sea and Korean Peninsula issues. TheASEAN and Japanese leaders agreed to bolster ties in combating terrorism,piracy and cybercrime while ensuring security at sea through activities tobuild capacity and share intelligence.
PM Phuc asked the two sides to step upactivities of the ASEAN-Japan creative network, further connect ASEAN andJapanese businesses, and boosting cooperation in the areas of high technologyand artificial intelligence. He also affirmed that Vietnam will activelycoordinate with other ASEAN countries and Japan to effectively carry out theircooperation plans when it is the coordinator of ASEAN-Japan relations for2018-2021.-VNA
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