Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (fourth from left) and other leaders to the 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid (Photo: VNA)

They shared the view that multilateral cooperation needs to be people- centered and focus on human resource development, technology, innovation, sustainable use of maritime resources, marine pollution prevention, and inter-regional cooperation in water resource management.

Hang said the Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh actively participated at the event.

She said the ASEM members support the efforts of ASEAN and Vietnam’s plan for 2020, when it will assume the ASEAN chairmanship, to press on with building a rules-based, people-oriented, cohesive and responsive community.

Vietnam’s proposal to foster ASEM cooperation in women’s economic empowerment in the digital era was deemed one of the most practical initiatives of the meeting. It received widespread support and was co-sponsored by many other members.

Hang said many countries agreed with Vietnam about the necessity of dialogue, trust-building, adherence to international standards, and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and backed the building of an effective code of maritime conduct to help maintain peace and stability in Asia-Pacific, and ensure security, stability and freedom of navigation and aviation.

ASEM members pledged to cooperate with Vietnam when it serves as ASEAN Chair in 2020 and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.