Bangkok (VNA) – The ASEAN ForeignMinisters’ Retreat 2019 opened in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai onJanuary 18 with a focus on various issues related to intra-bloc cooperation,the process of building the ASEAN Community towards sustainable growth, as wellas the current regional and global situation.

Vu Ho, head of the ASEAN Department under Vietnam’sMinistry of Foreign Affairs, said that the ministers pledged to promote theachievements reached in 2018 in ASEAN Community building with the motto of workingtowards a self-reliant and innovative community.

The ministers discussed traditional andnon-traditional challenges facing the region and the world currently, stressingthe need to strengthen solidarity and unity in all aspects of the ASEANCommunity building process.

They agreed to maintain principles and measures todeal with urgent problems on the foundation of solidarity, unity andregulations of international law, for peace, stability, and security in theregion.

Regarding the East Sea issue, ministers underlinedtheir stance that maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation andaviation is the common goal and interest of all parties.

They vowed to uphold international law and rules,especially the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with respect tothe principle of dialogue and not using or threatening to use force and actionthat could harm trust, especially any militarisation activities in disputedareas which may lead to incidents at sea or threaten the stability and peace inthe region.

The ministers agreed to fully implement the Declarationon Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) during the negotiation of a Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC) with China, which is expected to be finalised in2019.

They affirmed that it is a weighty requirement for ASEANto ensure an environment of peace and stability to facilitate the negotiationprocess.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Ministerand Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh supported all priorities for ASEAN in 2019 givenby Thailand, the rotating Chair of ASEAN, affirming that Vietnam will do itsutmost to contribute to their realisation.

At the conference, ministers also debated the ASEANIndo-Pacific Strategy, demonstrating the will of member countries to cope withthe changing geopolitical situation in the region.

The strategy will not bind the association with anycountry, but serve as a win-win solution.

Earlier, the ASEAN introduced its own version of thestrategy which includes similar principles and contents with those proposed by theUS, Japan, India, and Australia. At the same time, it mentions the openness,the engagement of relevant countries, transparency, and a rule-based worldorder and the central role of ASEAN.

During the event, ministers will decide the final nameof the strategy.

Regarding Timor Leste’s interest to join ASEAN, the Thaiforeign ministry’s spokesperson Bussadee Santipitaks said that the associationwill send a delegation to the country to evaluate its readiness for joining thebloc. –VNA