Vietnam calls on countries to support ASEAN's central role

ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Laos on July 27 - Photo: Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

According to information from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs , on July 27, in Laos, foreign ministers of ASEAN countries and partners attended the final conferences within the framework of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related conferences.

Authorized by Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet, head of Vietnam's ASEAN SOM, led the Vietnamese delegation to the meeting.

Strengthening investment and trade cooperation

At the ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers' Meeting, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed that the US attaches importance to its relationship with ASEAN, considering it a focus of its Indo- Pacific Strategy, and pledged to support ASEAN's central role and the ASEAN Vision on the Indo-Pacific.

The countries agreed to step up coordination in responding to common challenges and promote cooperation for security, prosperity, self-reliance and connectivity. Priority will be given to enhancing trade, investment, energy, cyber security, health, environment and climate, science and technology cooperation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence governance, etc.

At the ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (ASEAN with China, Japan and South Korea - PV), the countries agreed to continue to coordinate to deepen the fields of trade, investment, finance, transnational crime prevention and non-traditional security challenges...

At the same time, it emphasized the need to strengthen regional financial stability mechanisms and expand cooperation in new areas.

During the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting , the countries agreed on the need to coordinate to effectively exploit the great cooperation potential of the EAS, focusing on potential areas that ASEAN is interested in and EAS partners have strengths in, such as trade, investment, digital transformation, energy transformation, green transformation, climate change response, and sustainable development.

Within the framework of the foreign ministers' meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the parties approved a list of mid-term activities for the 2024-2025 period, with nearly 30 activities in areas such as climate change response, disaster relief, cyber security, maritime security, etc.

Vietnam will co-organize a number of activities such as the implementation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) and the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda.

Vietnam states its stance on international and regional issues

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet - Photo: Provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

At the above conferences, countries spent a lot of time exchanging and sharing views and positions on international and regional issues of mutual concern such as the East Sea, Myanmar, the Middle East, the Korean peninsula, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Countries shared concerns about complicated developments on the ground and their impact on peace, security, stability and development.

The parties also expressed support for ASEAN's balanced and objective approach, emphasizing principles such as compliance with international law, self-restraint, and peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

Speaking at the conferences, in the face of current complex and unpredictable movements, Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet suggested that countries continue to support ASEAN's central role, work with ASEAN to respond to common challenges, promote dialogue, cooperation and trust, and build an open, transparent, inclusive and rule-based regional structure.

Regarding some specific areas of cooperation, the Deputy Minister proposed further facilitating investment and trade, prioritizing increased connectivity, narrowing the development gap and sub-regional cooperation.

Regarding international and regional issues of common concern, Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet affirmed Vietnam's consistent stance.

He asked partners to support and respect ASEAN's stance on the East Sea issue, especially in the face of current complicated developments, as well as ASEAN's efforts in building the East Sea into a sea of ​​peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

The Deputy Minister also stressed the need to create a favorable environment for negotiations on an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS, while continuing to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Previously, within the framework of AMM-57 and related conferences, Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet led the Vietnamese delegation to attend three Mekong foreign ministers' conferences with the US, South Korea and Japan.

Through the AMM-57 joint communique

After four days (from July 23) with 20 activities, AMM-57 and related conferences ended with the ASEAN foreign ministers adopting the AMM-57 joint communique consisting of 165 paragraphs, fully and comprehensively reflecting the discussion content on the process of building the ASEAN Community, ASEAN cooperation on each pillar of the community, ASEAN's foreign relations and international and regional issues.

Laos, the 2024 ASEAN Chair, issued the Chair's Statements of the ASEAN 1, ASEAN 3, EAS, and ARF Foreign Ministers' Meetings.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/viet-nam-keu-goi-cac-nuoc-ung-ho-vai-tro-trung-tam-cua-asean-20240727214818585.htm