Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Photo: VNA)

The spokesperson told a regular press conference in Hanoi on Thursday that debate topics will be pandemic response, growth recovery and employment; and building a sustainable, inclusive and resilient future. At the upcoming summit, leaders of countries will focus their discussions on cooperation in response to COVID-19, trade and investment, digital economy and sustainable development.

Asked about the East Sea issue tabled at the 37th ASEAN Summit and the 15th East Asia Summit last week, Spokesperson Hang said representatives of many countries expressed concern about the East Sea situation and stressed the need to maintain a sustainable, stable, and lasting peace in the important waters of the region.

To achieve that goal, it is necessary to promote a sense of responsibility, especially to avoid actions that could increase tension and complicate the situation, without militarization, she said. Countries attached importance to upholding international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a legal framework for all activities at sea and settlement of disputes by peaceful means, according to the spokesperson.

She added countries called on ASEAN and China to speed up the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and strive to resume negotiations on the effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.