Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

During the meeting themed "Strengthening multilateralism for shared growth", the ASEM leaders discussed joint efforts and multilateral cooperation in addressing regional and global challenges, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting inclusive, sustainable economic growth and recovery, and strengthening social and cultural connections.

Addressing the meeting from Hanoi, Prime Minister Chinh said that global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, resource depletion, population ageing and cyber security are global problems that affect everyone.

He raised four proposals to strengthen cooperation between Eurasian countries.

First, the Prime Minister called for unity and efforts for global cooperation, in which, the people will be the player, the center, the goal and the driving force for development and resolution of global problems.

Second, he emphasized that the production and distribution of medicines and vaccines against COVID-19 needs cooperation, sharing and equal access.

Third, Prime Minister Chinh suggested that developed countries help developing countries to improve capacity to deal with global problems.

Fourth, the Prime Minister called for accelerating digital transformation, training human resources for developing and poorer countries, and promoting public-private cooperation to mobilize resources for development.

Vietnam will organize the ASEM Roundtable on Digital Economy in 2022 to contribute to this process, Prime Minister Chinh said.

He also shared Vietnam's efforts and priorities in COVID-19 response and socio-economic recovery and development. Vietnam has made and will make responsible contributions to resolving non-traditional security challenges, especially climate change.

As the world and the Asia-Europe region are witnessing rapid and unpredictable changes, Prime Minister Chinh stressed the urgent need to promote multilateral cooperation on the basis of international law, sharing responsibility and contributing to the common good, in which, the key factors are dialogue, respect, sincerity,  efficiency and strategic trust between countries. He shared the efforts of Vietnam and other ASEAN countries to maintain peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea.

At the end of the Summit, the Eurasian leaders adopted the Presidential Statement on Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth; the Phnom Penh Declaration on COVID-19 and Economic Recovery; and the Orientation for Cooperation on Connecting ASEM.

The 14th Asia-Europe Summit will be held in 2023 in Europe.