(VOVWORLD) - The 37th ASEAN Summit and related summits wrapped up on Sunday with more than 80 documents adopted to concretise the joint efforts of ASEAN member states and their partners in strengthening co-operation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of adopted documents was the largest in the history of all ASEAN meetings, said Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the closing ceremony.
They included the Mid-term Review of ASEAN Community Vision 2025 Blueprints; ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework; ASEAN Plus Three Leaders’ Statement on Strengthening ASEAN Plus Three Co-operation for Economic and Financial Resilience in the Face of Emerging Challenges; and the Hanoi Declaration on the 15th Anniversary of the East Asia Summit.
“We have agreed to maintain ASEAN’s centrality, promote dialogue and cooperation, prevent conflicts, and build trust and an open, transparent, inclusive, and rule-based regional structure,” said Mr. Phuc.
He said more than 20 meetings during the 37th ASEAN Summit discussed practical issues for nearly 630 million ASEAN citizens, focusing on COVID-19 response and economic recovery after the pandemic to realise the dual targets of pandemic prevention, control and production revitalisation, creating jobs for local people. The initiatives adopted realise the spirit of “not leaving anyone behind”, narrowing development gaps and integrating sub-Mekong region co-operation into regional collaboration.
“2020 is a tough year with a heavy workload in the context of the pandemic. After more than five decades since its establishment, ASEAN continues to affirm the power of solidarity, resilience and adaptability to flexibly respond to challenges,” the PM said.
The signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) holds a significant meaning to not only ASEAN but also global trade, helping minimise impacts caused by global supply chain disruption, promote trade flow within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners, said PM Phuc.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hands over the 2021 ASEAN Chairmanship to Brunei Darussalam. (Photo: Quang Hieu/VGP) |
At the closing ceremony of the 37th ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Phuc handed over the 2021 ASEAN Chairmanship to Brunei Darussalam.
The Brunei Sultan congratulated Vietnam for its successful ASEAN Chairmanship Year despite numerous challenges. Vietnam has led ASEAN to fulfill its commitment to becoming a cohesive and responsive community, he said.
Brunei has chosen “We care, we prepare, we prosper” as the 2021 Chairmanship’s theme.