National flags of ASEAN countries. (Source: asiapacific.ca) Ottawa (VNA) – ASEAN and Canada need to promote cooperation in priority fields such asmaritime and cyber security, fighting human trafficking, coping with climate changeand ensuring water security, especially the Mekong River lower reaches, aVietnamese official has said.
Head of the Vietnam delegation Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung madethe suggestion at the 14th ASEAN-Canada Dialogue in Ottawa, Canada,on May 7-8.
He proposed that thetwo sides continue utilising effectively existing mechanisms such as the ASEAN RegionalForum (ARF) and the ASEAN-Canada consultative meeting, urging Canada to bringinto full play its role as an important member of major groupings such as theG7 and the G20, and back the ASEAN in building a rule-based regional securitystructure.
The delegatecalled for promoting education cooperation through increasing the number ofCanada’s scholarships for Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, and closer linksbetween ASEAN and Canada in tourism and people-to-people exchange, along with jointefforts to narrow development gap.
He also askedCanada to encourage its firms to invest in infrastructure projects, developmentof small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-up activities in ASEANmember nations.
The Vietnamese diplomat stated that Vietnam always attaches importance toASEAN-Canada relations and hopes the two sides will have more practicalactivities to fully tap the cooperation potential
He shared hisconcern about the complicated developments in the East Sea and underlined Vietnam’sconsistent stance while applauding Canada’s stance in its recent statementsrelated to the East Sea issue.
The dialogue examinedthe cooperation between the two sides in the framework of the Action Plan in2016-2020, and discussed preparations for activities to mark the 40th anniversary of the Canada-ASEAN partnership.
Head of the Canadian delegation Donald Bobiash affirmed ASEAN is an importantpartner of his country in the Asia Pacific region, and the two sides shared interestsand visions in many aspects.
Canada wishes to boost trade liberalisation and connection between the twosides, including considering the possibility to form an ASEAN-Canada free tradeagreement, he said.
Bobiash stressed as one of founding members of the ARF, Canada proposed many initiativesand projects to support ASEAN member nations in improving their capacity tofight terrorism and transnational crimes, and made active contributions to maintainingregional peace and security.
He affirmed that his country supports related parties to continue with trustbuilding measures and solve East Sea-related disputes by peaceful measures inline with international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea1982 (UNCLOS 1982), while strictly implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Partiesin the East Sea (DOC) and working towards a frameworkfor a Code of Conduct (COC).
Canadais concerned about maritime security and acts that destroy the maritimeenvironment, especially coral reefs, he said.
Canadian Senator Peter Harder and Deputy Foreign Minister Ian Shugart, in theirspeeches, spoke highly of the role played by ASEAN and highlighted the importanceof Canada-ASEAN links.
They affirmed that Canada is willing to participate deeper in regionalcooperation mechanisms led by the grouping, and hopes to soon become a memberof the East AsiaSummit (EAS) and the ASEAN Defence Minister’sMeeting Plus (ADMM ), he said.
ASEAN member nations appreciated Canada’s commitment to the Southeast Asianregion and hoped Canada will continue supporting the bloc in building the ASEANCommunity, and promoting the bloc’s central role in shaping the regionalrestructure.
The group’s member nation proposed measures to further boost the partnership withCanada in fighting terrorism, extreme violence, drug trafficking, piracy and cyberattack, and in adapting to climate change.
They also put forward ideas for bilateral cooperation in developing SMEs andimplementing the third phase of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC).
The ASEAN-Canada dialoguerelationship was established in 1977, and the ties have been developed across fieldsover the last four decades.
ASEAN is now the sixth largest trade partner of Canada, and member countries ofthe bloc have poured over 1 billion CAD (729.5 million USD) in the NorthAmerica country.-VNA
Head of the Vietnam delegation Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung madethe suggestion at the 14th ASEAN-Canada Dialogue in Ottawa, Canada,on May 7-8.
He proposed that thetwo sides continue utilising effectively existing mechanisms such as the ASEAN RegionalForum (ARF) and the ASEAN-Canada consultative meeting, urging Canada to bringinto full play its role as an important member of major groupings such as theG7 and the G20, and back the ASEAN in building a rule-based regional securitystructure.
The delegatecalled for promoting education cooperation through increasing the number ofCanada’s scholarships for Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, and closer linksbetween ASEAN and Canada in tourism and people-to-people exchange, along with jointefforts to narrow development gap.
He also askedCanada to encourage its firms to invest in infrastructure projects, developmentof small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-up activities in ASEANmember nations.
The Vietnamese diplomat stated that Vietnam always attaches importance toASEAN-Canada relations and hopes the two sides will have more practicalactivities to fully tap the cooperation potential
He shared hisconcern about the complicated developments in the East Sea and underlined Vietnam’sconsistent stance while applauding Canada’s stance in its recent statementsrelated to the East Sea issue.
The dialogue examinedthe cooperation between the two sides in the framework of the Action Plan in2016-2020, and discussed preparations for activities to mark the 40th anniversary of the Canada-ASEAN partnership.
Head of the Canadian delegation Donald Bobiash affirmed ASEAN is an importantpartner of his country in the Asia Pacific region, and the two sides shared interestsand visions in many aspects.
Canada wishes to boost trade liberalisation and connection between the twosides, including considering the possibility to form an ASEAN-Canada free tradeagreement, he said.
Bobiash stressed as one of founding members of the ARF, Canada proposed many initiativesand projects to support ASEAN member nations in improving their capacity tofight terrorism and transnational crimes, and made active contributions to maintainingregional peace and security.
He affirmed that his country supports related parties to continue with trustbuilding measures and solve East Sea-related disputes by peaceful measures inline with international law, especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea1982 (UNCLOS 1982), while strictly implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Partiesin the East Sea (DOC) and working towards a frameworkfor a Code of Conduct (COC).
Canadais concerned about maritime security and acts that destroy the maritimeenvironment, especially coral reefs, he said.
Canadian Senator Peter Harder and Deputy Foreign Minister Ian Shugart, in theirspeeches, spoke highly of the role played by ASEAN and highlighted the importanceof Canada-ASEAN links.
They affirmed that Canada is willing to participate deeper in regionalcooperation mechanisms led by the grouping, and hopes to soon become a memberof the East AsiaSummit (EAS) and the ASEAN Defence Minister’sMeeting Plus (ADMM ), he said.
ASEAN member nations appreciated Canada’s commitment to the Southeast Asianregion and hoped Canada will continue supporting the bloc in building the ASEANCommunity, and promoting the bloc’s central role in shaping the regionalrestructure.
The group’s member nation proposed measures to further boost the partnership withCanada in fighting terrorism, extreme violence, drug trafficking, piracy and cyberattack, and in adapting to climate change.
They also put forward ideas for bilateral cooperation in developing SMEs andimplementing the third phase of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC).
The ASEAN-Canada dialoguerelationship was established in 1977, and the ties have been developed across fieldsover the last four decades.
ASEAN is now the sixth largest trade partner of Canada, and member countries ofthe bloc have poured over 1 billion CAD (729.5 million USD) in the NorthAmerica country.-VNA
VNA
