At the banquet for ASEAN leaders hosted by US President Joe Biden. (Photo: VNA) Washington D.C (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhhas expressed his optimism for breakthroughs to be created in the ASEAN-USstrategic partnership.
Speaking at a banquet for ASEAN leaders hosted by USPresident Joe Biden in Washington D.C on May 12 night (local time), PM Chinh pledgedthat Vietnam will make more active contributions to advancing the relationship,for peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development of ASEANcountries and the US, as well as the region and the world.
He described the significance of the ASEAN-USSpecial Summit as demonstrating the two sides’ commitments to workingtogether towards common peace, stability and prosperity.
Over the past 45 years, ASEAN and the US haveactively coordinated on the basis of respect for law and ASEAN’s centrality,thus building a foundation for trust, and building an open, transparent,inclusive regional structure in line with international law.
Chinh held that the thriving economic, trade andinvestment ties have brought peoples of the two sides closer, and that it istime for ASEAN and the US to work on new, better development milestones.
Regarding orientations for the relations, the PMsuggested that maintaining peace and stability should be top of mind of ASEANand the US, expressing his hope that the US will always support ASEAN’s centralityin processes in Asia-Indo-Pacific.
He also called for the US’s contributions tobuilding new orientations for the ASEAN-led cooperation frameworks, and creating abalanced and harmonious environment in the region.
The leader called on the US to engage in sincere dialogues with ASEAN on the basis of trust and responsibility, andback the settlement of differences and disputes by peaceful measures, inaccordance with international law, the UN Charter and the Treaty of Amity andCooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
Emphasising the need to restore trade and investmentflows to create momentum for the time to come, he pledged that Vietnam will takethe best measures to help US investors and firms quickly expand theiroperation in the country, and connect with the promising ASEAN market.
With its experience and resources, the US shouldsupport ASEAN in green, sustainable development, economic restructuring,technological application, digital transformation, renewable energy, andcomprehensive, sustainable recovery efforts, he suggested, adding that ASEAN hopes that the US will promote cooperationinitiatives within the framework of the Mekong-US Partnership, contributing toensuring development quality, equality and sustainability.
Given impacts and consequences of non-traditionalchallenges, the PM laid an emphasis on the need to build a global approach inaddressing global issues.
He urged the US to further cooperate with and assistASEAN in consolidating and improving its healthcare capacity, share experienceand transfer technologies in vaccine production, and help the bloc respond toother challenges like environmental degradation and climate change.
Leaders of both ASEAN and the US showed their support forthe establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership, and expressed their hope thatthe relationship will develop more substantively and effectively for mutualbenefits.
President Biden announced a package of initiatives worthmore than 150 million USD for ASEAN, which is expected to help the 10-membergroup lure billions of US dollars from the private sector in trade-investment,supply chain stabilisation, health care, maritime cooperation, infrastructuredevelopment, energy, climate change response and sustainable development.
The US attaches importance to and wishes to elevateits relations with ASEAN, he said, pledging support for ASEAN’s centrality andthe ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The President considered the ASEAN-US Special Summita great chance for the sides to evaluate and outline orientations for theirrelations, especially in the context of its 45th anniversary.
The leaders shared the view that the ASEAN-USrelationship has developed dynamically and strongly over the past 45 years, andreaped significant outcomes across spheres, from politics and security, toeconomy-trade, culture-society and development cooperation.
Both sides affirmed the importance they place toeach other’s role, as well as the significance of the partnership to peace,security, cooperation and prosperous development in the region and the world aswell.
The ASEAN leaders expressed their hope that the US willcontinue its cooperation with the bloc, promote dialogue and join efforts toeffectively handle challenges in the region.
Apart from economy and trade, the two sides shouldexpand collaboration in new spheres like green economy, circular economy,digital transformation, sustainable energy transition and response tonon-traditional security challenges such as epidemics and climate change, they said./.
