Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the second ASEAN-US Summit, the 17 th ASEAN-China Summit and the 17 th ASEAN+3 Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on November 13.

At these summits, leaders of ASEAN and its partners agreed to further their cooperation by implementing the current action plans efficiently, accelerating economic links, trade and connectivity, narrowing development gaps and responding soundly to emerging challenges.

ASEAN’s parners stated that they placed importance to cooperation with the bloc, pledging continuous assistance to its Community building efforts and post-2015 Vision implementation and support for ASEAN’s central role in boosting a regional cooperation architecture for the common goals of peace, security and development.

The leaders spent time debating regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue.

They affirmed that peace, stability, maritime and aviation safety, security and freedom are interests and concerns shared by countries in and outside the region.

Therefore, maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea must be safeguarded, disputes need to be settled peacefully abiding by international law, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) will soon be created, they emphasised.

With the regard to the issue, the Vietnamese PM called on the parties concerned to stringently observe international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS and article 5 of the DOC on exercising self-restraint not to take any action that could further complicate and escalate tension or change the status quo in the East Sea.

He declared that cooperation and prosperity could only happen favourably in the regional environment where peace, security and stability are secured and strategic trust among nations are reinforced, including strategic trust in ensuring maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom.

He appreciated the progress made during the recent consultation held between ASEAN and China, including commitments to outlining concrete measures and mechanisms to ensure DOC, especially its article 5, is observed, and the establishment of a hotline to promote trust-building, prevent incidents and tentions and speed up negotiations for early formation of COC.

At the second ASEAN-US Summit, PM Nguyen Tan Dung suggested increasing consultancy between ASEAN economic ministers and the US trade representative, among other measures, with a view to creating favorable conditions for the bloc, the US and other partners in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.

The summit adopted a joint statement on cooperation in dealing with climate change.

At the 17 th ASEAN-China Summit, both sides reiterated their commitments to intensifying the ASEAN-China strategic partnership.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung spoke highly of China’s backing of ASEAN’s central role in the regional evolving architecture and at forums founded by the bloc.

For the bilateral ties to grow firmly, he laid special stress on the need to beef up efforts to create a peaceful, stable, secure and cooperative environment in the region.

At the 17 th ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea) Summit, the leaders renewed their pledges to respond to traditional and emerging non-traditional challenges and underlined the necessity to follow common values and standards as well as legal principles.

The Vietnamese PM proposed all the sides implement efficiently and comprehensively the statement on ASEAN+3 Partnership on connectivity and a master plan on ASEAN connectivity to provide a foundation for forging a broader and wider connection in terms of infrastructure and transport in East Asia, among other things.

Late on the day, ASEAN leaders met with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council to seek more contributions from the council in making policies and speeding up the building of an ASEAN Community and regional connectivity.

25th ASEAN Summit concludes in Myanmar

The 25th ASEAN Summit and meetings between the bloc and partner countries concluded on the afternoon of November 13 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

At the closing ceremony, Myanmar, ASEAN Chair for 2014, transferred the chairmanship for 2015 to Malaysia, whose Prime Minister Najib Razak said his country will continue working with other ASEAN members to speed up the realisation of the bloc’s targets, particularly preparing for the formation of an ASEAN Community in December 2015.

The ASEAN Chairman’s statement of the 25 th ASEAN Summit reiterated the importance of maintaining peace, stability and ensuring navigation and aviation security, safety and freedom in the East Sea.

It also emphasised the principles stated in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), the Statement on ASEAN’s Six-Point Principles on the East Sea, the Joint Statement of the 15th ASEAN-China Summit on the 10 th Anniversary of the DOC and the bloc’s relevant statements approved at the 24 th Summit.

The ASEAN-25 Chairman’s statement welcomed encouraging results attained in the consultation on the implementation of the DOC and the agreement on joint efforts to finalise a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) as soon as possible.

Accordingly, concerned parties agreed to enhance consultation with China on measures and mechanisms to ensure the full and effective implementation of the DOC and the soon conclusion of the COC.

The statement also voiced concern over the East Sea situation and re-affirmed joint commitments to settling disputes through peaceful measures in line with internationally recognised principles, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, not use or threat to use force, practise self-restraint, and avoid actions that complicate the situation or escalate tensions in the region.

The document also stressed the importance of the ASEAN member countries’ joint pledges to regional peace, stability, navigation safety and trust, along with the necessity to create favourable conditions for solving disputes peacefully.

VNA/VNN