Hanoi (VNA) – ASEAN cooperation in the East Sea was the topic of the fifthOcean Dialogue that took place in Hanoi on June 18.
Theevent was jointly held by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), German foundationKonrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), the Australian Embassy in Vietnam and theFoundation for East Sea Studies.
Itbrought together nearly 100 delegates from some 30 foreign agencies andinternational organisations, Vietnamese ministries and agencies, along withexperts and scholars.
Majorspeakers from Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and the US, and expertshighlighted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s role inmanaging disputes and promoting regional cooperation.
Theyalso looked into maritime cooperation within the framework of ASEAN-ledmechanisms over the past time and worked on proposals to improve the efficiencyof the grouping’s engagement in the East Sea in the time ahead.
Inhis opening remarks, Peter Girke, Head of KAS Office in Vietnam, pointed out countries’different approaches to disputes in the East Sea and ASEAN’s limited role inincidents in the sea, which is geographically located in the centre of theregion.
TheOcean Dialogues aim to discuss a strategy of making small steps in regionalcooperation, with priority given to seeking common points and building trustthrough the settlement of less sensitive issues such as environmental pollutionand fish resources reduction, he said.
Ifsuch approach produces progress, regional countries would find it easier todeal with long-term challenges and conflicts, he added.
AustralianDeputy Ambassador to Vietnam Rebecca Bryant affirmed Australia’s commitment tobacking ASEAN’s central role in Indo-Pacific, and applauded its significantcontributions to maintaining security and stability over the past 50 years.
Priorto the dialogue, Dr. Le Hai Binh, DAV Deputy Director, said the event aims toseek new ideas on the ASEAN cooperation in the East Sea to propose to policy-makingagencies, while enhancing public awareness of external affairs in the comingtime, in the context that Vietnam has been elected as a non-permanent member ofthe United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021 and will take over the ASEANChairmanship in 2020.
Thefour previous Ocean Dialogues touched upon such issues as maritimeadministration, fishery cooperation, international maritime law and plasticwaste at sea.-VNA
Vietnam opposes and resolutely rejects China’s unilateral decision to ban fishing in the East Sea, covering Vietnam’s waters, from May 1 to August 16, 2019, said Vietnamese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China hold the 17th senior officials’ meeting (SOM) on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties on the East Sea (DOC) in Hangzhou, China, on May 17 and 18.
Ha expressed his hope that cooperation in science and technology, agriculture, and natural resources would emerge as new focal points and engines of growth in Vietnam–China relations.
Giang said he believes that building on the solid foundation nurtured over the past half-century and the strong determination of both nations, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will continue to grow in a more robust, comprehensive, and extensive manner, thus bringing more practical benefits to the two nations' people.
Highlighting the transformative potential of the draft law in revitalising Vietnam’s railway industry, Hoang Van Cuong, a deputy of Hanoi, expressed his support for Article 39, which empowers the Prime Minister to issue a list of railway-related goods and services to be assigned or ordered from domestic enterprises for production.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, Hoan, formerly Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, is under investigation for allegedly taking bribes in connection with a case involving the Hoang Long Construction and Manpower Supply JSC and related units.
Chairing a national conference on the organisation of the examination on June 18, the PM highlighted the historical significance of the examination, as the restructuring of provincial-level administrative units is underway and the two-tier local administration model is set to officially begin operations on July 1.
Right on the same day, the ministry issued its highest-level travel warning, urging Vietnamese citizens not to travel to Israel or Iran, and advised those already in these countries to swiftly consider evacuation or relocation plans.
From the struggles against colonialists and imperialists to the period of Doi moi (renewal) and international integration, the Vietnamese revolutionary press has always played a pioneering role on the ideological and cultural front, he said.
The Party leader's working session with the standing boards of the Party Committees of HCM City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong, the VNA General Director's remarks on the occasion of the 19th OANA General Assembly, the launch of new NIC - Google initiatives aimed at bolstering AI entrepreneurship and digital literacy in Vietnam are among news highlights June 18.
Vietnam and Indonesia reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in combating terrorism as it remains a threat to peace, security, and stability across their respective nations, the broader region, and the international community.
The Vietnamese representative also emphasised the shared responsibility of relevant parties to build trust, enhance cooperation, and jointly manage the risks of conflict, thus safeguarding long-term peace and stability in the East Sea.
The National Assembly on June 18 passed the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality, with 408 out of 420 participating deputies voting in favour, accounting for 85.36% of the total.
The Party leader asked the new HCM City to embrace a multi-centre and integrated urban ecosystem where each development pole functions as a link complementary to and intelligently connected with each other in a harmonious whole.
The resolutions issued by the PM as well as ministries and ministry-level agencies reassign responsibility for 346 administrative procedures - 18 from district to provincial levels, 278 to commune level, and 50 eliminated.
Legislators are due to pass several amended laws, including the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, and the Law amending and supplementing several articles of the Law on Product and Goods Quality.
Vietnamese localities' readiness to implement the two-tier local administration model, the evacuation of 18 Vietnamese citizens from Iran, Petrovietnam's 11th ranking in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia 500 are among news highlights on June 17 evening.
The General Secretary underlined the resolve to achieve a growth rate of at least 8% in 2025, laying the groundwork for double-digit growth in the following period. He noted that these are mandatory targets, with no alternative path to success.
Restructuring and improving the quality of officials, civil servants, and public employees is no longer a choice, but an urgent requirement to transition from administrative management to governance in service of the people.
At the dialogue (Photo: VNA) 
