US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishamuddin Hussein underscored the importance of regional cooperation to ensure that the East Sea is a water of peace and stability during the virtual ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on August 4.
Hishamuddin said regional stability holds significance for countries, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
He asked countries to actively work together to deal with trans-border crimes, stressing that ASEAN and the US need to work on the issue more effectively.
The event was within the framework of the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-54) and related meetings, with foreign ministers of ASEAN member states, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and ASEAN Secretary General Dato Lim Jock Hoi taking part.
The AMM-54’s joint communiqué said the meeting reaffirmed a need to strengthen mutual trust and refrain from actions that could complicate or escalate disputes, affecting peace and stability while avoiding actions that could exacerbate the situation.
The meeting also continued to affirm a need to pursue the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with widely-recognised international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea./.
