Vietnam’s contributions to 25th ASEAN Summit

On the evening of November 13, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his delegation returned to Hanoi, concluding their attendance at the 25th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

In a media interview on the occasion, Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh highlighted the major outcomes of the summit as well as Vietnam’s contributions to the event.

The 25th ASEAN Summit and ASEAN meetings with partners transpired in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from November 12-13 with a focus on building an ASEAN Community and post-2015 development orientations, the central role of ASEAN in regional structure and relations between the regional bloc and its partners. ASEAN leaders also compared notes on issues of regional and international concern including the East Sea issue.

In regard to Vietnam’s significant contributions to the success of the 25th ASEAN Summit, Deputy PM Minh said with proactive and responsible participation, the Vietnam delegation led by PM Dung made important contributions to the overall results of the summits this time, namely:
 

First, Vietnam continued to reinforce ASEAN solidarity and unity as a prerequisite to ensure the formation of the ASEAN Community in late 2015 with specific targets for further growth in the new period. Accordingly, ASEAN should actively coordinate, hold on firm stance, have a common voice on regional issues and enhance its central role in building the regional structure with common standards on the basis of international law and principles, values and standards of conduct of ASEAN.

Second, concerning the implementation of the roadmap for community building, the country underscored the effort and responsibility of each nation and the whole regional grouping for the implementation of commitments.

Vietnam has always promoted its proactive and responsible spirit in realizing common commitments. Notably, it is one of the nations reaching the highest level of carrying out economic commitments (89%) along with positive contributions to the pillars of politics- security and culture-society.

The nation pledged its sustained efforts together with ASEAN member states to guarantee the building of the ASEAN roadmap as set targets.

Vietnam also put forth important proposals on defining the key elements of a post-2015 vision of the ASEAN Community which serve as a foundation for outlining specific orientations for development in the 2016 -2025 period.

We suggested stepping up cooperation between ASEAN and its partners in preventing and dealing effectively challenges such as security, maritime safety, climate change, water resource security, natural disasters and epidemics.

Vietnam’s positive contributions were acknowledged and signified by ASEAN declarations and the ASEAN-US Joint Statement on Climate Change, the Joint Statement of the 9th East Asia Summit on Regional Response to the Outbreak of Ebola.

Third, regarding the regional situation, we affirmed the common interests of all regional countries and non-bloc nations is to ensure an environment of peace, stability and cooperation in the region, including issues of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

Vietnam underlined the necessity for the concerned parities to seriously observe international law, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),  resolve disputes by peaceful means and properly implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), notably Article 5 of the Declaration on excising restraint and avoiding actions that complicate or increase regional tensions, and accelerate substantial negotiations aiming to soon achieve a legally binding Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC).

On the fringes of the summits, PM Dung had bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders and partners to examine ways to bolster bilateral cooperation and debate issues of mutual interest.