Leaders from theten ASEAN member countries and China, Japan and the Republic of Koreagathered at the 16 th ASEAN Plus Three Summit held in Brunei on October10 to discuss how to effectively strengthen connectivity among theeconomies.
The leaders spoke highly of theefficiency of cooperation between ASEAN and the three partners over thepast time, which is reflected by the 5 percent increase in bilateraltrade turnover, reaching 712 billion USD in 2012 in spite of theinstable global economy.
They affirmed tocontinue to prioritise implementing signed cooperation agreements andprogrammes, especially in economics, trade, investment and finance, aswell as carrying out a new roadmap on the Asian Bond Markets Initiativeand an initiative on financial bond development.
Priority will also be given to the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), they said.
The leaders decided to boost cooperation in security and politics,and in effectively dealing with traditional and non-traditional securitychallenges, including cooperation to ensure sustainable development,energy and food security and safety, as well as cooperation in health,education, response to natural disasters, environment, human resource,tourism, information and communications and people-to-people exchange.
On this occasion, the leaders approved theamended ASEAN+3 working plan by 2017, agreed to soon implement anASEAN+3 Partnership on Connectivity, including the consideration ofestablishing an ASEAN+3 financial fund on regional infrastructureconnectivity, and expand the Chiang Mai Initiative.
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highly valuedthe three partners’ commitment to continuing to cooperate with ASEAN,help the bloc implement its core goals of building an ASEAN Community by2015 and strengthening linkage and connectivity, as well as support itscentral role in the region.
PM Dung said thatthe forming regional structure is bringing both new opportunities andchallenges to the countries so they should uphold basic principles andimplement major cooperation orientations mentioned in the ASEAN PlusThree Leaders’ Joint Statement on the celebration of its 15 years ofcooperation, with a view to deepening ASEAN+3 cooperation and laying thematerial foundation for a future East Asia community.
He called on ASEAN and its partners to focus on consolidatingcomprehensive and effective cooperation based on existing projects andprogrammes, intensifying economic linkage, facilitating trade andinvestment to serve as a basis for a free trade agreement in East Asia.
The Vietnamese Government leader also emphasisedthe need for the countries to continue strengthening cooperation instabilising macro finance through the effective implementation of theChiang Mai Initiative Multilateralism.
He alsocalled for the countries to promote cooperation in security and politicsto strengthen mutual understanding and trust, ensure peace, securityand development in the region, including maritime security and safety.-VNA
The leaders spoke highly of theefficiency of cooperation between ASEAN and the three partners over thepast time, which is reflected by the 5 percent increase in bilateraltrade turnover, reaching 712 billion USD in 2012 in spite of theinstable global economy.
They affirmed tocontinue to prioritise implementing signed cooperation agreements andprogrammes, especially in economics, trade, investment and finance, aswell as carrying out a new roadmap on the Asian Bond Markets Initiativeand an initiative on financial bond development.
Priority will also be given to the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), they said.
The leaders decided to boost cooperation in security and politics,and in effectively dealing with traditional and non-traditional securitychallenges, including cooperation to ensure sustainable development,energy and food security and safety, as well as cooperation in health,education, response to natural disasters, environment, human resource,tourism, information and communications and people-to-people exchange.
On this occasion, the leaders approved theamended ASEAN+3 working plan by 2017, agreed to soon implement anASEAN+3 Partnership on Connectivity, including the consideration ofestablishing an ASEAN+3 financial fund on regional infrastructureconnectivity, and expand the Chiang Mai Initiative.
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highly valuedthe three partners’ commitment to continuing to cooperate with ASEAN,help the bloc implement its core goals of building an ASEAN Community by2015 and strengthening linkage and connectivity, as well as support itscentral role in the region.
PM Dung said thatthe forming regional structure is bringing both new opportunities andchallenges to the countries so they should uphold basic principles andimplement major cooperation orientations mentioned in the ASEAN PlusThree Leaders’ Joint Statement on the celebration of its 15 years ofcooperation, with a view to deepening ASEAN+3 cooperation and laying thematerial foundation for a future East Asia community.
He called on ASEAN and its partners to focus on consolidatingcomprehensive and effective cooperation based on existing projects andprogrammes, intensifying economic linkage, facilitating trade andinvestment to serve as a basis for a free trade agreement in East Asia.
The Vietnamese Government leader also emphasisedthe need for the countries to continue strengthening cooperation instabilising macro finance through the effective implementation of theChiang Mai Initiative Multilateralism.
He alsocalled for the countries to promote cooperation in security and politicsto strengthen mutual understanding and trust, ensure peace, securityand development in the region, including maritime security and safety.-VNA
