US President Joe Biden and leaders of ASEAN countries (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The recently concluded ASEAN-US Special Summit, taking place after a 5-yearhiatus, marking the 45th anniversary of the sides’ dialogue relations has demonstratedthe US’s determination and strong efforts and is a vivid proof of theirappreciation of such ties as well as commitment to and wish for promoting it.
Talking to thepress, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc also emphasised this is the first time that exchanges and meetings have taken place betweenleaders of ASEAN countries and leaders of US Congress, Vice Presidents, Ministersin the Joe Biden Administration and major corporations. This showed that theUS attaches great importance to, strongly commit to, and support thedevelopment of its relations with the bloc.
Regarding the summit’s outstanding results, Ngoc stated thatin its Joint Vision Statement, the two sides affirmed their commitment toestablishing the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, opening up a newera of cooperation between them. The sides’ commitments also cover prioritisingsupply chain stability, maritime cooperation, health security, education, humanresources development, innovative and creative science and technology; and promoting digital transformation, climate change response, energytransformation, and green and sustainable growth.
According to the official, the two sides affirmed to value each other's positions and roles, and exchanged views on regional and global issues.They agreed to strive to ensure peace, stability, security, safety andfreedom of navigation and overflight in the region, including the East Sea, topeacefully resolve disputes in accordance with international law and the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to promote afavourable environment for the early negotiations on a Code of Conduct(COC) in the East Sea that is substantive, effective, and consistent withinternational law, including UNCLOS.
US President Joe Biden and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) (Photo: VNA) On the Vietnamese delegation’s participation at and contributions to thesummit, Ngoc said PM Chinh took part in and addressed all the activities withinits framework, sharing viewpoints on the development orientations of theASEAN-US relations as well as the international and regional situations.
On the orientations, the PM stressed ensuring peace andmaintaining stability must be taken as a frontline issue. The countries shouldcooperate and share responsibilities, control the differences, respect the law,thus helping realise a world of peace, stability and prosperous development.ASEAN, the US and other partners should strive to cooperate in maintainingpeace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight inthe East Sea, in the spirit of respect to international law, restraint from theuse of force and unilateral acts that further complicate the situation anderode the trust among the nations. They should also peacefully settle theissues on the basis of international law, including the UNCLOS 1982, and at thesame time accelerate the negotiations for the practical and effective COC thatcomes in line with international law and the UNCLOS 1982.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at a working session with US Vice President Kamala Harris (Photo: VNA) Secondly, priority should be given to the restoration of thetrade and investment flow. Vietnam will provide the best support to the USinvestors and enterprises in expanding their business in Vietnam and connectingwith the ASEAN market; and asks the US to support ASEAN in its green andsustainable development; and expects the US to push up the cooperation in theframework of the Mekong-US partnership.
Thirdly, there should be a global approach in dealing withthe global issues.
Besides, the PM had contacts with President Joe Biden,meetings with US administration and congress officials, representatives ofmajor firms and groups, scholars, and the Vietnamese community in the US. Healso had meetings with many leaders of other ASEAN countries./.
