Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged member states of the East Asia Summit (EAS) to strengthen connectivity in their legal systems, infrastructure, and digitization process during the 33th EAS in Singapore on November 15. 


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At the meeting


Addressing the event, the PM said the EAS needs to maintain dialogue, build trust and support collective efforts to uphold international law, form and abide by a code of conduct, refrain from unilateral actions, and support the peaceful settlement of differences. 

Discussing regional and global issues of concern, the leader said a stable and peaceful environment is a prerequisite for development cooperation, and striving for such a goal is a common responsibility for many countries, including EAS member states. 

Regarding the East Sea issue, he stressed that ASEAN always upholds self-restraint, increases dialogues, builds trust, prevents militarisation, abides by international law, refrains from the use or threat to use force, and settles disputes and differences by peaceful means in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

The leader called on countries to support such principles of the bloc with specific actions. 

Participants agreed to continue strengthening the EAS as a leading dialogue mechanism about strategic issues in the region in an open, inclusive and rule-based architecture with ASEAN at the central position. 

They adopted five EAS declarations on preventing plastic waste at sea, ASEAN smart cities, strengthening cooperation in communications tech security and digital economy, countering threats of foreign terrorist fighters, and nuclear security.  

In the afternoon of the same day, the summit was wrapped up with the participation of leaders of ASEAN member states as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the US. The Chairmanship of ASEAN 2021 was transferred over to Thailand. 

The Vietnamese PM and his spouse then returned home, successfully concluding their trip to attend the summit and related meetings. 

Prime Minister attends 21st ASEAN+3 Summit

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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc led a Vietnamese delegation to the 21st ASEAN Plus Three Summit (with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) in Singapore on November 15.

At the event, the leaders affirmed the role and contributions of ASEAN+3 cooperation to peace, security and prosperity of the region, stressing this is one of the most effective collaboration frameworks of ASEAN.

They applauded strong trade and investment relations between ASEAN and the three partners, with their two-way trade reaching 807.3 billion USD or 31.6 percent of ASEAN’s total trade.

They agreed to step up cooperation in such fields as agro-forestry-fishery, health, social security, climate change, disaster management, prevention of communicable diseases, economic cooperation and connectivity and macro-financial stability; support a free, open and rules-based multilateral trade system; and work hard to conclude negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The ASEAN+3 leaders praised the outcomes of the Inter-Korea and US-DPRK Summits and supported efforts towards the complete denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula as well as the full and serious implementation of related resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. 

Regarding the regional and global situation, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc applauded the positive developments on the Korean Peninsula but noted potential risks such as trade conflicts, protectionism, security hotspots, non-traditional security issues, epidemics, environmental pollution and natural disasters.

He highlighted several initiatives to strengthen ASEAN+3 cooperation like building a mechanism warning regional macroeconomic risks to improve the economies’ response readiness and stepping up regional collaboration in early disaster warning.

Concluding the summit, the leaders approved the Statement of the ASEAN+3 Leaders on cooperation in preventing antibiotic resistance bacteria for a better life of people.

PM joins ASEAN-India Informal Breakfast Summit in Singapore

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined leaders of other ASEAN countries and India at the ASEAN-India Informal Breakfast Summit in Singapore on November 15 within the framework of the ongoing 33rd ASEAN Summit.


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Participants at the summit


The leaders lauded positive progress in the ASEAN-India relations since the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit to mark 25 years of the bilateral ties in January 2018, while reaffirming determination to foster the ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

ASEAN leaders hailed India’s support to the association’s central role and efforts for regional connectivity and the building of the ASEAN Community.

The two sides agreed to continue bolstering their comprehensive partnership, especially in areas of mutual benefit such as economic, trade and investment; finalising negotiations for a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); promoting connectivity and sustainable development, narrowing development gaps, and boosting digital growth.

They will work together in optimising opportunities from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, strengthening maritime cooperation, aviation connectivity and people-to-people exchange and collaboration in education and tourism.

Indian PM Narendra Modi hailed the role of ASEAN in the region, recognised important achievements in the ASEAN-India relations over the past years when Vietnam was the coordinator of the relationship for the 2015-18 term, and welcomed Thailand to assume the role in the next three years.

The Indian leader affirmed to continue strengthening the “Act East” policy, while sharing India’s standpoint on strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, and highlighting the respect for fundamental principles and the central role of ASEAN in the regional architecture.

Modi announced the provision of 1 billion USD for activities on connecting infrastructure and boosting digital cooperation as well as for the continued implementation of the digital collaboration project with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

India will also grant 1,000 scholarships to ASEAN countries, form a network of ASEAN-India universities and organise a conference on renewable energy in India in the coming time, he said.

Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc thanked India for cooperating with Vietnam to help the country complete its role as coordinator of the ASEAN-India relations in the 2015-2018 period.

He voiced his support to ASEAN and India in strengthening maritime affiliation, including blue economy and ensuring maritime security, trade and investment cooperation and connectivity, with the construction of an expressway linking India and Mekong countries as well as other projects in the region.

PM Phuc affirmed the importance of maintaining a peaceful environment, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation to all countries, especially coastal states. He lauded India’s support to ASEAN’s principles and stance in the field in line with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982.


VNA