Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) –

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended theASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting held online within the framework ofthe 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 53) and relatedmeetings on September 9. 

He also co-chairedthe 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN-JapanMinisterial Meeting, and attended the ASEAN-RoK Ministerial Meeting.

At the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting, the ministers shared the view that the strategicpartnership between ASEAN and China has brought about practical interests toboth sides. 

ASEAN applauded China’scooperation and support in the fight against COVID-19, and suggested the countryactively participate in the grouping’s initiatives like the COVID-19 responsefund, regional reserves of medical supplies and recovery framework.

The two sides agreedto step up cooperation in such priority areas as digital economic development,cyber security, natural disaster response, people-to-people exchange andmaritime collaboration, while pushing ahead with the building of theASEAN-China action plan for 2021-2025.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh co-chairs the 21st ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. (Photo: VNA)

At the 21st ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Minh said this is time for the ASEAN+3mechanism to prove its value and capacity in the pandemic combat, and suggestedChina, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) continue their coordination withASEAN in this regard, towards sustainable regional recovery.

The ministersconsented to continue implementing the resolutions adopted by leaders at theSpecial ASEAN+3 Summit on COVID-19, and committed to enhancing cooperation infood security via the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), digital transformation, regional financial andeconomic stability through the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) Agreement, and health care.

Theywere also resolved to soon conclude the Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP) agreement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting. (Photo: VNA)

At the ASEAN-JapanMinisterial Meeting, Minh called on Japan to continue its support to andengagement in ASEAN’s initiatives relating to COVID-19 and soon help with theestablishment of the ASEAN centre for public health emergencies and emergingdiseases in 2020.

He also suggested thetwo sides make the best use of the ASEAN-Japan Agreement on ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership.

Meanwhile, during theASEAN-RoK Ministerial Meeting, the two sides affirmed their resolve to enhancecooperation to consolidate the strategic partnership.

ASEAN lauded the RoKfor its support in the pandemic combat and called on the country to assist thegrouping in digital transformation, the application of new technologies and optimisingopportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The ministersapproved the action plan between ASEAN and the RoK for 2021-2025. 

Inthe discussions, the ministers of China, Japan and RoK expressed their desirefor strengthening the cooperation among the sides, their high valuation of theASEAN’s effective response to the COVID-19, and readiness to support ASEAN’sinitiatives in the pandemic fight.

Onregional and international situation, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN andpartner countries exchanged ideas on issue of common concern like the situationon the Korean Peninsula, Rakhine state and the East Sea. They stressed the needfor close coordination, strengthened dialogues and cooperation on the basis of upholdingthe rule of the law and common standards. They shared a joint viewpoint onmaintaining peace, stability, safety and security, freedom of navigation andaviation in the region, including the East Sea; and stressed the importance ofsettling the disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law.

Speakingat the meetings, Minh affirmed that as the Chair of the ASEAN 2020, Vietnamwill, together with other ASEAN members, actively work out measures andpolicies to further deepen the relations of strategic cooperation with thepartners. He asked the partner countries to continue supporting ASEAN in thebuilding of the Community, and proposed to intensify the cooperation among thesides in the research and production of vaccines and medicines againstCOVID-19.

Oninternational and regional situation, Minh expressed his concerns on thecomplicated development in the East Sea while states are focusing their effortsagainst the pandemic. Legitimate rights and interests of the sides must beensured, and differences and disputes settled on the basis of internationallaw, including the 1982 UNCLOS, he stressed.

Theofficial asked the sides to fully and effectively implement the Declaration onthe Conduct of the Sides in the East Sea (DOC) and to soon resume thenegotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)

RepeatingASEAN’s stance on the East Sea at the 36th ASEAN Summit in June2020, Minh called on the sides to intensify the building of trust and mutualtrust, and to prevent the acts that complicate the situation and affect peaceand stability.

Theremust be no militarisation while the disputes must be settled through peacefulmeasures with respect to international law, he stressed./.VNA