The statement was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung in an interview granted to the press on the outcomes of the summit and related meetings as well as the Vietnamese delegation’s contributions.

According to the official, from the preparation phase, Vietnam actively coordinated with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries in realising priority themes for the ASEAN Year 2017 proposed by the host country as well as in making the group’s general documents and contents discussed at the summit.

Vietnam also fulfilled its role as the Chair of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Task Force and the coordinator for the ASEAN-India dialogue partnership, while contributing constructive ideas during discussions on the basis of upholding ASEAN solidarity and fostering the building of a strong ASEAN Community, Dung said.

To build a strong ASEAN Community, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed the need to give the priority to meeting people’s interests and building a people-centred ASEAN.

The Government leader emphasised the necessity for the group to reform and continue implementing measures to better its operations, and boost intra-bloc cooperation and regional connectivity.

PM Phuc also discussed measures to deal with non-traditional security challenges such as climate change and pirates, while showing concerns over accelerating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, East Sea and East China Sea. He stressed the need for ASEAN to uphold basic regulations and common viewpoint in tackling disputes by peaceful means and on the basis of international law, stated Dung.

The deputy foreign minister also told reporters that on the sidelines of the 30th ASEAN Summit, PM Phuc had bilateral meetings with leaders of Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, Thailand and the Philippines.

During the meetings, the Government head exchanged opinions on the fields Vietnam needs to intensify cooperation with these countries, and proposed several solutions to existing difficulties, he added.

The diplomat shared that during the ASEAN Summit and related meetings, PM Phuc and leaders of ASEAN member states focused on three main issues: the building of the ASEAN Community, ASEAN’s external relations and the regional and global situations.

The leaders once again stressed the importance of solidarity and the central role of ASEAN in the evolving regional architecture, considering it a decisive factor to maintain and promote the group’s role in the region and the world.

They also stressed that ASEAN should have a strong voice and contribute practically to peace, security and stability in the region and the world in the context of complicated regional and global situations.

They showed concerns over recent developments in the East Sea, Dung said, adding that they affirmed ASEAN’s common stance of upholding the peaceful settlement of disputes, strictly and fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and working towards the formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Source: vov.vn