(VOVWORLD) - At the plenary session in Hanoi on June 26, ASEAN leaders reviewed the progress of the building of the ASEAN Community since the 35th Summit and directed the implementation of cooperation plans between the group and its partners.
|
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and delegates attend the opening ceremony of the 36th ASEAN Summit
(Photo: Tran Hai)
|
They also compared notes on regional and international issues of common concern.
ASEAN leaders agreed to enhance the bloc’s resilience, control epidemics effectively and restore economic and international trade activities toward stabilizing the lives of people and businesses.
The leaders said the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within this year will be a strong message to affirm ASEAN's support for the multilateral trading system, trade and investment liberalization, and importantly contribute to the regional post-pandemic recovery.
A number of ASEAN leaders proposed measures to relief restrictions to ensure uninterrupted circulation of goods and supply chains in the region, paving the way for the recovery after the epidemic ends.
Participants gave prominence to ASEAN's stance of principles in ensuring peace, security, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea. They underscored the need to uphold the rule of law, promote cooperation to build trust by using peaceful measures based on international law, fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards making the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) between ASEAN and China effective in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.
Addressing the session, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated ASEAN's recent cohesiveness and responsiveness, especially proposing initiatives to promote ASEAN’s role while attracting support of the international community in the COVID-19 fight. Prime Minister Phuc affirmed that while ASEAN focused on controlling the epidemic efficiently, it has also successfully implemented the priorities in community building, expanding and deepening its external relations.
Vietnam expressed concern that as the world is struggling with the COVID-19, there remain violations of international law in some areas, causing instability, complicating the situation, and eroding trust. Vietnam called on every country to uphold the spirit of responsibility, respect of the rule of law, promote trust building, and resolve disputes by peaceful means based on international law.
ASEAN leaders approved the ASEAN Chair Statement on the outcomes of the 36th ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Leaders' Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN, and the ASEAN Declaration on human resources development for the changing world of work.