PM chairs 21st ASEAN-RoK Summit
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc chaired the 21st ASEAN – Republic of Korea Summit in Hanoi on November 12.
Addressing the opening ceremony, PM Phuc said as leading economic partners of
each other, ASEAN and the RoK should continue enhancing coordination,
especially adopting frameworks led by ASEAN, contributing to peace, stability
and development in the region.
RoK President Moon Jae-in vowed to join hands with ASEAN to overcome challenges caused by COVID-19. He
also announced a contribution of 1 million USD to ASEAN COVID-19 response fund and
a package of medical supplies worth 5 million USD to the bloc.
He expressed his support for the regional comprehensive
recovery framework and efforts to resume trade and investment cooperation via
facilitating travelling between both sides.
Moon pledged to accelerate the implementation
of the New Southern Policy and further deepen cooperation with the bloc.
On orientations to future cooperation, both sides
agreed to work closely together to drive back the pandemic, ensure the public
access to COVID-19 vaccine, improve the capacity of urgent public health system.
They promised to realise common initiatives on
promoting ASEAN-RoK economic connectivity in response to COVID-19 pandemic,
step up cooperation in digital economy, innovation, high-quality human
resources development, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and
start-ups, thus creating a strong driving force for their economies.
ASEAN proposed the RoK continue supporting the bloc’s pandemic
prevention and control initiatives, including regional reserve of medical
supplies and promoting recovery via the ASEAN comprehensive recovery framework
recently announced at the 37th ASEAN Summit.
The two sides consented to bolster even development cooperation,
support efforts to narrow development gap, sub-regional development
coordination, improve the capacity of responding to emerging challenges such as
climate change, disaster management, environment protection, sustainable forest
protection and plastic waste reduction.
On regional and global issues of shared concern, leaders
highlighted the importance of ensuring peace, security, stability, maritime and
aviation freedom in the region, including the East Sea; as well as the
settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law and the
1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
PM Phuc also took the occasion to call for further increasing
cooperation in COVID-19 research and production, stably maintain trade and
investment, and step up green and sustainable development.
With the official upgrade of Mekong – RoK sub-regional
cooperation to a summit level last year, the Vietnamese PM expected the RoK to
continue supporting efforts to promote sub-regional sustainable development,
including the Mekong Sub-region, and incorporate sub-regional development
efforts into ASEAN Community’s common development strategy.
He also underlined the importance of serious implementation of
the UN Security Council’s related resolutions and agreements among parties concerned for a
Korean peninsula of peace, stability and denuclearisation.
In order to maintain peace, security and stability in the East
Sea, the PM urged parties concerned to exercise self-restraint, avoid actions
that could further complicate the situation and increase tension, erode trust
and cause instability. Every dispute and difference should be settled
peacefully in line with international law, the 1982 UNCLOS and legal framework
on activities at sea.
Parties need to seriously and fully comply with the Declaration
on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), build a practical and
effective Code of Conduct in the East in accordance with international law and
the 1982 UNCLOS, he said.
As a coordinator of ASEAN-RoK relations for the 2021-2024
period, Vietnam will work closely with the RoK and ASEAN member states to
uphold existing foundations, as well as continue efforts of Brunei – the existing
coordinator to develop bilateral strategic partnership for the sake of peace,
stability, friendship and cooperation in the region, he said./.