Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Ministerof Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, Head of the ASEAN Senior Official Meeting(SOM) delegation of Vietnam, attended the 36th ASEAN – Australia Forumorganised in Melbourne on February 6.

In his speech, the Vietnamese diplomat laid stress on the significance of the cooperationto narrow the development and sub-regional development gap to building theASEAN Community.

He spoke highly of the achievements that both sides have obtained in this field, especially Australia’s support for ASEAN member states to roll outthe Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), and for the development of theMekong sub-region.

Regarding measures to bolster cooperation in these areas in the time ahead,Viet suggested Australia institutionalise cooperation mechanisms so as toimprove the efficiency of cooperation between Australia and Mekong sub-regionalcountries.

At the forum, ASEAN and Australian officials expressed their delight at theprogress in the bilateral relations over the past time, noting that all action linesof the ASEAN – Australia cooperation plan for the 2020-2024 period have beencarried out, with many completed one year ahead of schedule.

They commended the implementation outcomes of the ASEAN – Australia Comprehensive StrategicPartnership, which was established in 2021, particularly activities held withinthe 204-million-AUD Aus4ASEAN Futures Initiative.

They also agreed to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in aneffective and practical way for mutual benefit, and conduct earlynegotiations to develop an action plan for cooperation for the 2025-2029 period to submit to theforeign ministers for approval at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laosin July. The action plan will prioritise collaboration in the fields of economy, trade,investment, education and training, management of natural disasters, climate changeresponse, green economy and energy transition, among others.

Touching on regional and international issues of mutual concern, they voicedtheir concern over the escalating tensions, violence and conflicts across theglobe, and underscored the need to work together to maintain peace, securityand stability in the region.

They also said that conflicts and disputes must be settled via peaceful meansin accordance with the basic principles of international law, including the1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Viet took this occasion to ask Australia for its continuing support for ASEAN’scentral role in the regional structure as well as the bloc’s stance on the EastSea issue and efforts to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on theConduct of Parties (DOC), and promptly build a practical Code of Conduct(COC) in the East Sea in accordance with international law.

Officials of both sides also concurred to joinhands to organise the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit in Melbourne in March tomark the 50th anniversary of their Dialogue Relations./.