Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi answers reporters' queries (Source: Reuters) Singapore (VNA) - ChineseState Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has proposed three principles forthe future development of the East Asia Summit (EAS).
He made the proposal in a speech at the 8th EAS Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Singaporeon August 4 within the framework of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’Meeting (AMM 51).
According to China’s Xinhua newsagency, the first principle proposed by Wang is centering on East Asia. He saidEast Asia has already established a regional cooperation framework with theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the center and EAS animportant component.
In the future, EAS countries shoulduphold the spirit of mutual respect, consensus-building, openness andinclusiveness, continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific and East Asia, andsafeguard the central role of ASEAN in regional cooperation, he said.
The second principle is striking abalance between socio-economic development and politico-security cooperation.Wang said politico-security cooperation should aim at providing a peaceful andstable environment for the development and forging a regional securityframework which accords with the actual circumstances of the region and meetsthe needs of all parties.
The third principle is coordinatingstrategic communication and pragmatic cooperation. While engaging in strategiccommunication on global and regional issues of common concern, all partiesshould make concerted efforts to push forward regional cooperation in vitalareas, so as to provide solid support for EAS development.
The eight EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting drew the participation of foreignministers from 10 ASEAN countries, the US, India, Russia, Australia, NewZealand, Japan, China and the Republic of Korea. The Vietnamese delegation tothe event was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
At the meeting, the delegates agreed that maritime cooperation will be one ofthe main focuses of EAS countries in the coming time.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the ministers shared concerns over militarisationand complicated developments in the East Sea over the past time, urging partiesinvolved to increase dialogue on the basis of respect for international law.
They also voiced their support for peace, stability and denuclearisation on theKorean Peninsula and applauded the positive outcomes of the recent inter-Koreaand US-DPRK Summits.-VNA
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