At the ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son continued to join his counterparts from ASEAN countries in attending the ASEAN 1 meetings with Japan, the Republic of Korea, the European Union (EU), the UK, Canada, and the ASEAN 3 meeting, within the framework of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-56) in Jakarta, Indonesia,on July 13.
During the meetings, partner countries affirmed their appreciation for ASEAN and support for ASEAN's unity and centrality. They pledged to assist ASEAN in building the ASEAN community and an open, inclusive, transparent, and rules-based regional architecture operating in accordance with international law.
Co-chairing the ASEAN-RoK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with his RoK counterpart Park Jin, Son proposed enhancing cooperation to ensure peace and stability, particularly in addressing non-traditional security challenges, deepening economic cooperation for prosperity, and promoting cooperation for the people's benefit, towards a sustainable future.
On the occasion, he announced that Vietnam will host an ASEAN-RoK Day later this year, contributing to further reinforcing bilateral relationship.
The ASEAN welcomed the RoK’s proposal to establish bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, and the RoK-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative. The RoK side announced its commitment to double its contribution to the ASEAN-RoK Cooperation Fund to 32 million USD by 2027 from 16 million USD in 2022, as well as allocate over 200 million USD for joint projects.
Meanwhile, ASEAN and Japan agreed to deepen cooperation in various areas, especially in trade, investment, supply chain stability, and high-quality infrastructure development while expanding collaboration into new potential areas such as innovation, climate change response and green growth. The ASEAN highly valued Japan's provision of a 3.34 billion USD loan to support post-pandemic recovery efforts in ASEAN and its additional contribution of 100 million USD to the ASEAN-Japan Integration Fund.
ASEAN and EU officials reaffirmed their commitment to the goal of a ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement. The ASEAN welcomed the EU's Team Europe investment package of around 10 billion EUR (11.2 billion USD) by 2027, which supports integration efforts and enhances capacity building and sustainable development in the region.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (fourth from left) at ASEAN+3 meeting (Photo: Yonhap)
At the ASEAN+3 meeting, ASEAN and China, Japan and the RoK vowed to strengthen existing economic and financial stabilisation mechanisms, promote trade and investment exchanges and joint work to ensure food security and sustainable agriculture, and effectively deploy the ASEAN 3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR).
In the meeting with the UK, the ASEAN highly appreciated the UK’s proposal on key cooperation programmes worth 113 million GBP over the next five years, which will support regional economic integration, health care, education, women's empowerment, peace, security and climate change adaptation.
ASEAN and Canada committed to realising the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-Canada 45th Anniversary Commemorative Summit, toward establishing the ASEAN-Canada strategic partnership. The ASEAN hailed Canada's commitment to supporting the ASEAN community-building process, establishing the Trust Fund valued at 13.1 million CAD (9.95 million USD), and providing scholarships for ASEAN. The ministers emphasised the need for both sides to effectively explore cooperation potentials, thus further advancing the dynamic and substantial development of their relationship.
In his speech, Son suggested stepping up inclusive recovery efforts, stimulating growth momentum, prioritising trade and investment cooperation, connectivity, human resources training, innovation, energy transition, food security, climate change adaptation and sustainable development.
He highly valued partners’ commitment to supporting ASEAN's guiding role in promoting dialogue, cooperation and building trust in the region. He urged partners to back ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea issue, uphold the significance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and help ASEAN and China early achieve an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), towards the goal of turning the East Sea into waters of peace, cooperation and sustainable development.
During a brief meeting the same day on the sideline of the AMM-56 and related meetings, Son and his Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa consented to continue facilitating visits by leaders, holding cultural and locality-to-locality and people-to-people exchange activities, as part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties this year.
They agreed to expedite Japan's provision of new-generation official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam, thus enabling Vietnam to access development assistance packages in high-quality infrastructure and energy transition, and simplify visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens, among others.
The two ministers also agreed to enhance mutual support at global and regional forums, including ASEAN-led and Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.
On July 14 morning, ASEAN foreign ministers and partners are scheduled to meet with Indonesian President Jokowi Widodo, and attend the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which includes ASEAN countries and partners namely China, Japan, RoK, Australia, New Zealand, India, Russia and the US./.
