ASEAN, Australia to lift strategic partnership

Participants at the 5th meeting of the ASEAN - Australia Joint Cooperation Committee (AAJCC) (Source: VNA)

ASEAN and Australia committed to deepening their Strategic Partnership during the 5th meeting of the ASEAN - Australia Joint Cooperation Committee ( AAJCC ) in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 19, which discussed ways to boost their links in the time ahead.

The two sides agreed to outline specific roadmaps for AAJCC activities in a view to preparing the organisation of a biennial ASEAN-Australia Summit which is scheduled to begin in 2016.

Australia stressed it considers ASEAN the centre in its cooperation promotion policy in the Asia-Pacific region, adding that it hopes to deepen links with the group in all the three pillars of politics-security, economy and socio-culture.

Through forums leaded by ASEAN such the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the A SEAN Defence Ministers ' Meeting Plus ( ADMM +) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF), Australia wants to join ASEAN in promoting peace and stability in the region, including ensuring maritime security and safety in the East Sea.

Meanwhile, ASEAN said it treasures ties with Australia over the last four decades, especially the country’s support for the bloc in building its Community, narrowing development gaps and implementing economic integration policies.

The two sides also concurred with future cooperation plans, focusing on maritime security, cyber security, terrorism and transnational crime prevention, people-to-people exchange, disease prevention, climate change adaptation, and disaster management.

The six meeting of the AAJCC will convene in 2016.

Australia is now the sixth largest trade partner of ASEAN, while the grouping is the second largest trade partner of the country.

With the effective implementation of the ASEAN - Australia - New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), two-way trade between the two sides increased 15 percent in 2014, hitting 195 billion USD.-VNA