The ASEAN+3 and ASEAN+1 Ministerial Meetings with China and Japan inBandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on June 30, as part of the AMM-46,suggested working together more comprehensively in politics and securityto tackle traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
At the ASEAN+3 meeting with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea(RoK), the ministers said that they were very satisfied with regionalcooperation in various spheres, including economics, trade, investment,finance, security and politics.
They stressed the need toimplement the ASEAN+3 Working Plan for the 2017-2013 period in a moreeffective way to further deepen ASEAN+3 cooperation.
Theministers agreed to speed up the implementation of the Statement onASEAN+3 partnership on connectivity; a working plan for the Asian BondMarket and Infrastructure Financing Bond Development Initiative; and theRegional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
At theASEAN+1 Ministerial Meeting with China, the two sides spoke highly ofthe 10 th anniversary of their strategic partnership and the outcomesreached during the implementation of the 2011-2015 Action Plan. Theyhailed the the establishment of the ASEAN-China technology transfercentre, the ASEAN-China Maritime Cooperation Fund and the signing of theASEAN-China memorandum of understanding on health care cooperation.
They recommended further strengthening cooperation in majorfields like trade, investment, connectivity, traffic and energy and foodsecurity.
Participants consented to hold activities this yearto mark the 10 th anniversary of bilateral strategic partnership,including the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Augustin China, and an ASEAN economic ministers’ tour of China.
Thetwo sides emphasised that ASEAN and China should continue fullyrealising commitments stated in the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on the10 th anniversary of the DOC as well as boost consultations for theprompt formulation of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
At the event, they were unanimous in launching official consultationsat the ASEAN-China Senior Official’ Meeting (SOM) on the COC.Accordingly, the sixth ASEAN-China SOM and the ninth ASEAN-China WorkingGroup’s Meeting will take place in China this September.
Atthe ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the two sides vowed todevise the Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment soon, whichlays a foundation for the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive EconomicPartnership.
ASEAN hailed Japan for its support of the bloc’scentral role in regional structures and the implementation of a MasterPlan on ASEAN Connectivity and the Initiative on ASEAN Connectivity.
Both sides will work together to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of their dialogue relations in Tokyo on December 13-15.
The same day, the sixth Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting andthe third Mekong-RoK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting got underway.
The Mekong and Japanese foreign ministers reviewed the implementation ofthe Mekong-Japan Action Plan to realise the Tokyo Strategy for the2013-2015 period and increase connectivity in the Mekong region andnarrow the development gap in ASEAN.
The fifth Mekong-Japan Summit is slated to take place in Tokyo later this year.
Meanwhile, the Mekong and RoK ministers reviewed their cooperationsince 2011 and put forth initiatives to cement bilateral links in thetime to come, namely the establishment of a cooperation fund financed bythe RoK, activities during the Mekong-RoK Exchange Year 2014 and theMekong-RoK Business Forum.-VNA