36th ASEAN Summit showcases unity and resilience, Malaysian FM says
VGP - The convening of today’s 36th ASEAN Summit via video conferencing showcased ASEAN’s unity and resilience during these unprecedented times, which is in line with the 2020 Chairmanship theme “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”, Malaysian FM Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein told Bernama.
He expressed surprise that all the achievements from today’s summit and this week’s related meetings were achieved through virtual video conferencing and not through physical face-to-face meetings.
The regional leaders adopted Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN which reflects ASEAN’s strong commitment to upholding ASEAN unity, solidarity and centrality while enhancing ASEAN’s capacity to embrace the opportunities and effectively address emerging challenges.
The Vision Statement also emphasized the importance of promoting mutual trust and confidence, enhanced dialogue and cooperation in inter-state relations, and a multilateral approach in addressing emerging challenges, as well as support for a rules-based regional and international order, anchored in international law.
>>> Chairman's Statement of the 36th ASEAN Summit
Regarding regional and international issues and developments, the regional leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the East Sea.
They recognized the benefits of having the East Sea as a sea of peace, stability and prosperity while underscoring the importance of the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) in its entirety.
Encouraged by the progress of the substantive negotiations towards the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), the leaders welcomed the completion of the first reading of the Single Draft COC Negotiating Text.
The leaders emphasized the need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to the COC negotiations, and thus welcomed practical measures that could reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation.
They stressed the importance of undertaking confidence building and preventive measures to enhance, among others, trust and confidence amongst parties; and we reaffirmed the importance of upholding international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS./.
By Anh Minh
