The Japan-Mekong cooperation is necessary to the Mekong sub-region’ssocio-economic development and the ASEAN integration process, PrimeMinister Nguyen Tan Dung said at the 7th Mekong-Japan Summit held inTokyo, Japan, on July 4. The Prime Minister expressedhis concurrence with other leaders’ views showed in the 2015 TokyoStrategy on Mekong-Japan cooperation, which guides affiliation towardsensuring regional stability and qualitative growth. According to the Vietnamese leader, there are three major points thatwill help the state members realise their robust growth targets,including solid economic foundation, the balance between economic gainsand environmental protection, and a peaceful environment and stabilityfor development. He highlighted recent developments inthe East Sea with large-scale construction of artificial reef islandsthat violates international law, the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC), reduces mutual trust and raises tensionacross the region. He stated the maintenance ofmaritime security and safety and freedom of navigation in the waters isthe aspiration, benefit and responsibility shared by related nationsregionally and internationally. The partiesinvolved should sustain peace and stability in line with internationallaw, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of theSea (UNCLOS), noted Dung. He went on to say thatthe sides ought to fully carry out commitments in the DOC and worktoward the formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). At the summit, leaders of Japan and the five Mekongcountries, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, reviewed the2012 Tokyo Strategy and adopted the 2015 Tokyo Strategy for the2016-2018 period. They agreed to develop regional industrialinfrastructure with an emphasis on urban development, energy, andtransportation, among others; stimulate industrial sectors, regionalvalue chain through the building of special economic zones; promotesustainable growth for a green Mekong sub-region via coordination inclimate change response and sustainable use and management of MekongRiver water; and increase coordination with other Mekong sub-regioncooperation mechanisms and with the private sector, and internationalorganisations. Foreign and trade ministers of theparticipant countries were tasked with devising action plans and visionsfor Mekong industrial development. The summit hailedJapan’s commitment of providing 6.1 billion USD in officialdevelopment assistance (ODA) for Mekong countries in the next threeyears. Previously, during the 2012-2015 period, Japan aided the regionwith 4.9 billion USD. With the goal of maintaining peace,stability and prosperity in the region, the leaders reaffirmed theirdetermination of boost and deepen cooperation among the member countrieson regional and international of shared issues. In the 2015Tokyo Strategy, the leaders emphasised the importance of ocean whileaffirming the need of closer cooperation to maintain maritime securityand safety in the region. They underscored the full implementation ofthe DOC and the early formation of a COC and peaceful settlement ofdisputes in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS. Theyexpressed their concern over recent developments in the East Sea,making the situation more complicated, undermining trust and impactingon peace, security, stability in the region.-VNA