(Photo: USEU.usmission.gov/VNA)

In a joint statement released at the end of their summit, the two sides pledged to work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, prepare for future global health challenges, and drive forward a sustainable global recovery. They said they will promote equitable and affordable access and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. They pledged to continue to support the COVAX Facility and encourage more donors to make 2 billion vaccine doses available worldwide by late 2021.

In their statement, the leaders reiterated their promise to protect this planet and foster green growth. They plan to together address climate change, environmental degradation, and the loss of biodiversity.

In matters of trade, investment, and technology, the EU and the US committed to upholding the rules-based international order with the United Nations at its core, reinvigorating and reforming multilateral institutions where needed, and cooperating with all those who share these objectives.

They said that together the EU and the US are an anchor for democracy, peace, and security around the world. They remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Vietnam) and strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions.

The EU and the US reaffirmed the critical importance of respecting international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and said they intend to work together with their partners for a free and open Indo-Pacific which is inclusive and based on the rule of law.