PM Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the plenary session of the 43rd ASEAN Summit (Photo: VNA) The Vietnamese leaderurged ASEAN countries to urgently address policy and institutional bottlenecks and barriers,maintain the stability of the internal supply chain in order to improve theregion's resilience against external impacts.
PM Chinh also suggested ASEANeconomic ministers vigorously oversee the review, upgrade, and renegotiation offree trade agreements (FTAs) between ASEAN and its partners to create newimpetuses for regional economic development.
ASEAN needs to define thatensuring regional peace and security is first and foremost the responsibility of ASEAN, he stressed, adding that the group’s member statesmust uphold the spirit of unity, independence, and self-reliance, which shouldbe reflected in both words and actions.
At the event (Photo: VNA) Only by doing so, can ASEAN uphold its role and receive real respect from itspartners, particularly powerful countries, he said.
He reaffirmed the corespirit of ASEAN, which considers people as the centre, the goal and the motivation of theASEAN Community-building process, towards narrowing the intra-bloc developmentgap, especially in remote regions and sub-regions.
PM Chinh took the occasionto announce that Vietnam will host an ASEAN future forum on rapid, sustainable, people-centered development to complement ASEAN's official forums andmechanisms, offering a chance for the exchange of ideas and initiatives forregional cooperation, and contributing to building a resilient and sustainableASEAN Community.
At the plenary, ASEANleaders approved several important documents such as declarations on inclusive developmentfor people with disabilities, family development and gender equality, enhancingfood security, a framework for ASEAN public health emergency coordination system,among others, which are expected to contribute to strengthening intra-regional effortsto build an ASEAN Community that places people at itscentre.
On the same day afternoon,PM Chinh will join other leaders from ASEAN member states at the openingsession of the ASEAN-Indo Pacific Forum (AIPF), which is initiative proposed by Indonesia during its ASEAN Chairmanshipin 2023.
Delegates will debate strategiccooperation directions for the future, focusing on green infrastructure anda self-reliant supply chain, digital transformation and innovative economy, and sustainablefinance and innovation./.
VNA
