(VOVWORLD) - – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the ASEAN-Australia and ASEAN-United Nations Summits in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday, as part of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits.
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Speaking at the third ASEAN-Australia Summit, PM Chinh affirmed that over the past nearly five decades, ASEAN and Australia have become close neighbours, reliable partners and sincere friends.
To aim for new heights in the next five decades and beyond, he called for enhancing economic and trade links in a balanced and sustainable manner which should be a focus and driving force of development. He highlighted the need to jointly implement the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), promote trade and investment liberalisation, and strengthen connectivity.
Nothing that quality workforce development is a strategic breakthrough in ASEAN-Australia relations, he wished that both sides would cooperate more intensively in this effort to better meet development requirements in the new period.
He hoped that Australia will continue to show interest and support for the development of the Mekong Sub-region, including the Mekong Delta within the framework of the Mekong-Australia Partnership.
Concluding the event, leaders adopted a joint statement on enhancing cooperation to ensure food security during the crisis period.
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Addressing the 13th ASEAN -UN Summit, PM Chinh expected that the ASEAN-UN comprehensive partnership will truly become a flagship in strengthening international unity, persistent multilateral cooperation, ensuring sustainable peace and security, and promoting prosperity and sustainability worldwide.
To such end, he highlighted the need for active coordination in implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development.
He suggested that the UN should pay special attention to and assist Vietnam and Mekong River basin countries in sustainable management and use water resource, improving the capacity to cope with climate change, particularly in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam.
He also proposed supporting Vietnam in the successful implementation of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), transitioning to a green and circular economy.
The Vietnamese leader hoped that the UN will continue supporting ASEAN's central role in the region, work closely with ASEAN to promote values toward peace, enhance dialogue and cooperation, build trust, and establish standards of conduct among nations in accordance with the rule of law.
Affirming Vietnam's active and proactive role as a member of ASEAN and the UN, the PM stressed that Vietnam will keep striving with the highest sense of responsibility to contribute to the common work of the UN.
Vietnam is committed to enhancing participation in peacekeeping activities and fulfilling international responsibilities, including its role as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 tenure, for sustainable development and prosperity for all countries, regions, and the entire world, he said.
During the summits, PM Chinh reaffirmed ASEAN’s common stance on the East Sea, and proposed that partners support the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the formulation of a legally binding, effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), contributing to turning the East Sea into a waters of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.
In the afternoon the same day, leaders of ASEAN and partners attended the closing ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits, as well as the handover ceremony of the ASEAN Chairmanship from Indonesia to Laos.
In the evening, PM Chinh and his entourage left Indonesia, concluding their three-day trip to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit and related summits.