Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son attends meetings between ASEAN and partners, July 13, 2023. (Photo: VNA)

Partner countries affirmed their appreciation for ASEAN and support for ASEAN's unity and centrality. They pledged to assist ASEAN in building the ASEAN community and an open, inclusive, transparent, and rules-based regional architecture operating in accordance with international law.

Co-chairing the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers Meeting with his RoK counterpart Park Jin, Minister Son proposed enhancing cooperation to ensure peace and stability, particularly in addressing non-traditional security challenges, deepening economic cooperation for prosperity, and promoting cooperation for the people's benefit, towards a sustainable future. He announced that Vietnam will host an ASEAN-RoK Day later this year to reinforce the relationship.

At the ASEAN+3 meeting, ASEAN plus China, Japan, and the RoK vowed to strengthen existing economic and financial stabilization mechanisms, promote trade and investment exchanges, work to ensure food security and sustainable agriculture, and effectively deploy the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve.

At a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken the same day, Minister Son affirmed Vietnam’s willingness to work with the United States to deepen their Comprehensive Partnership on the basis of respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions toward upgrading the relationship when conditions are appropriate.

Blinken praised General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's phone call with President Joe Biden on March 30, and promised to work with the Vietnamese side to effectively implement the results of the phone call by stepping up visits and contacts between senior leaders and carrying out signed cooperation agreements.