Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attends the Special ASEAN - US Foreign Ministerial virtual meeting from Hanoi. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

ASEAN and the US affirmed that they attach importance to and pledge to enhance their bilateral partnership, especially amid serious challenges negatively affecting people, development, security, and stability of countries in the region.

ASEAN countries reiterated their message to the new administration in the US, which is making long-term commitments to the region, upholding multilateralism and international law, making efforts to control disease outbreaks, promoting recovery, and responding to climate change.

Blinken emphasised the US’s commitment to multilateralism, affirming that they attach importance to its relations with ASEAN, support the bloc’s centrality, and pay attention to fostering a dynamic and effective strategic partnership with ASEAN.

The US has pledged to supply 500 million vaccine doses for the COVAX Facility. It is working to support countries around the world, including ASEAN nations, with 80 million doses. It has also earmarked 96 million USD to help ASEAN countries improve their pandemic response capacity.

Both ASEAN and the US share the view that there are many complex challenges in the region and the world, agreeing to boost consultation, dialogue, and cooperation. They underscored the importance of peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation in the East Sea and expressed their hope for the early finalization of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, are ready to create optimal conditions for US enterprises to expand investment and business in their markets amid a pandemic-triggered shift in trade and investment flows.

The minister expressed his hope that the US will actively assist ASEAN to narrow the development gap, promote development in sub-regions, and connect the Mekong-US ties with the common development of ASEAN. He called on the US to closely coordinate with the bloc at the forums established and led by ASEAN, thereby creating a favourable environment for the formation of rules-based regional architecture.