Jakarta (VNA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs BuiThanh Son reaffirmed Vietnam’s approach in which dialogue, consultation andtrust building have been taken as the main tools in settling disagreements and differenceswhile addressing the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Jakarta,Indonesia, on July 14.

The process of building ASEAN's common stance on the EastSea issue demonstrates consultation efforts and achievements, and affirms and promotesfundamental principles like peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect forinternational law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(1982 UNCLOS), Son said.

The minister emphasised the need to ensure ASEAN's centrality,uphold objectives and principles of the ARF, form substantive agendas, promotethe responsibility of member nations, and maintain a balanced and inclusiveapproach.

The culture of dialogue and consultation should bemaintained and enhanced with ASEAN at the centre, thereby contributing topeace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region, he continued.

Son noted that over the past 30 years, throughconsultation, ASEAN has successfully built a common stance on the East Sea,with principles such as restraint, peaceful resolution of disputes, and respectfor international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

While committing to fully and effectively implementingthe Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), ASEAN andChina are working together towards a substantive, effective, and legallybinding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law,including the UNCLOS, he said.

At the meeting, the participating countries reviewedthe ARF’s operation in 2022-2023, and orientations in the time ahead, andexchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern.

They affirmed the importance of the ARFas the leading forum in the region in promoting dialogue and cooperation inpolitical-security issues, contributing to joint efforts in building trust andpreventive diplomacy.

Given the complex, unpredictablesituation, the minister agreed to step up the forum’s operation, and carryforward its values, vitality and adaptability to both opportunities andchallenges at present and in the future.

The countries agreed to maintain cooperation in maritimesecurity, disaster relief, cybersecurity, the fight against terrorism andtransnational crimes, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and disarmament, nationaldefence, and peacekeeping.

They also approved a list of activities for 2023-2024.Vietnam will co-chair several ARF activities regarding the implementation ofthe 1982 UNCLOS, and the fight against terrorism, transnational crimes, and chemical,biological, nuclear, and radiological terrorism.

On this occasion, Son announced that Vietnam will co-chair the ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting onDisaster Relief for the 2024-2026 term with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The meeting adopted a joint statementcommemorating the 30th anniversary of the ARF, with Indonesia, Vietnam, China,Australia, and Canada as co-sponsors. The documents reaffirmed the leading roleof ASEAN in the regional architecture, and commitments to promotingconstructive dialogues, enhancing cooperation, and ensuring the active and full participationand contributions of member countries to the forum’s development.

The meeting took placewithin the framework of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-56). Atthe end of AMM-56 and related meetings, foreign ministers approved nearly 40documents, including the AMM-56 joint communique./.