Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham BinhMinh on January 21 led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the online ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMMRetreat) at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Brunei Dato Erywan PehinYusof.

It was the firstactivity of the bloc this year to discuss orientations and priorities for 2021 aswell as regional and global issues of shared concern.

Representatives from participatingcountries congratulated Vietnam on successfully accomplishing its tenure as ASEAN Chair2020, including leading the bloc in maintaining dialogues and timely and effectiveresponse to unprecedented challenges.

They agreed to effectivelyrealise reached priorities, initiatives and cooperation programmes, including accelerating the building ofthe ASEAN Community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also expressed support to theBrunei’s theme of ASEAN Chairmanship 2021 “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”.

Speaking at the event,Minh vowed to work closely with Brunei and other ASEAN member states to fulfillthe targets and priorities set for the ASEAN Year 2021.

Amid uncertaindevelopments in the region and the world, he called on the bloc toeffectively carry out initiatives as agreed last year, including Vietnam’s ideato use the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund to buy vaccines and necessary medicalsupplies for front-line medical staff and vulnerable groups, as well as soonput into operation the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and EmergingDiseases (ACPHEED).

On the Communitybuilding, Minh suggested the nations soon complete the review of the implementation of the ASEANCharter, realise recommendations from the mid-term review of theimplementation of ASEAN Community Vision 2025, and building the post-2025 ASEANVision.

Amid socio-economic impacts from by the pandemic, he proposed continuing to give high priority tonarrowing development gap and sub-regional development. In its capacity asChair of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force for 2021,Vietnam will hold a regional dialogue on narrowing sub-regional development gapto propel sustainable recovery and balanced growth, Minh said.

According to the Deputy PM,ASEAN needs to continue further enhancing relations with external partners onthe basis of ensuring solidarity, unity and central role.

Regarding the East Seaissue, Minh affirmed that contributing to peace and stability in the East Seais responsibility of all countries in the region.

To meet such goal, hesuggested ASEAN uphold the sense of responsibility, raise the united voice,uphold the basic principles and common stance over the past years, especially thespirit of abiding by international law, including the 1982 United Nations Conventionon the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Vietnam will join hands with nations to seriouslyand fully comply with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea, and together with ASEAN and China to soon reach an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC)in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, he said.

As ASEAN Chair, Bruneiproposed priorities and initiatives for ASEAN in 2021, including building acomprehensive approach to promoting multilateral cooperation, building arules-based regional architecture, coping with contingencies and disasters,providing spiritual health care for the public, and encouraging the role and contributionof the youth to common peace and prosperity.

Participants agreed toprioritise strengthening solidarity and economic connectivity, promotinginternal trade and investment, completing a comprehensive plan to tap achievementsbrought about by the fourth industrial revolution, and upholding multilateralmechanisms to address challenges faced by the region and the world.

In external affairs,they held that ASEAN will continue deepening ties with partners, as well as further improveits central role, particularly in building an open, transparent, inclusive regionalarchitecture based on rules, frameworks and process found and led by itself,including the ASEAN 1, ASEAN 3, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN DefenceMinister’s Meeting Plus.

Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, and the principles ofexercising self-restraint, avoiding militarization, and abiding byinternational law and the 1982 UNCLOS, as well as seriously and fully complying withthe DOC in the East Sea and reaching aneffective and efficient COC in accordance with international law, including the1982 UNCLOS.

🧔 Concluding the event,on behalf of ASEAN, Brunei issued a press release highlight the major contents of the meeting./.