Vietnamese Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh
(VOVworld) - The 26th ASEAN Summit took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Monday under the theme “Our People, Our Community, Our Vision.”
On Sunday, several meetings in preparation for the summit were held - ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Political-Security Committee Council’s meeting, and the ASEAN Coordinating Council’s meeting.
At these meetings, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh called on ASEAN to demonstrate stronger determination and effort to follow the roadmap for building an ASEAN Community on the pillars of politics-security, economics and culture-society.
Minh said Vietnam is resolved to work together with other member states to address existing issues to meet the goal of establishing the ASEAN Community by the end of this year. Vietnam will also contribute to drafting the ASEAN Community Vision to 2025, and coordinate closely with other members in dealing with regional and international challenges.
Mentioning complicated regional and international situations, Minh stressed the need for the bloc to step up cooperation on traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
With regard to the East Sea, Minh stressed the importance of respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, self-restraint, and not using or threatening to use force.
He urged ASEAN to increase unity and solidarity, and expand its role in ensuring peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the East Sea, while accelerating talks with China for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, particularly Article 5 on self-restraint, and the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.