PM suggests orientations for ASEAN-RoK cooperation

Photo: VGP

The Vietnamese PM made the recommendation while joining the ASEAN leaders and the RoK President to attend the first session of the 30^th ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit in Busan, the RoK on November 26.

At the meeting, participants highly appreciated the impressive developments in the ASEAN-RoK partnership over the past 30 years, covering the fields of politics-security, the economy, culture-society and people-to-people exchange. The RoK is one of the leading important partners of ASEAN.

The ASEAN leaders welcomed the RoK’s “New Southern Policy” as well as the efforts made by President Moon Jae-in in promoting the RoK’s relations with ASEAN across the three pillars: peace, prosperity and people.

In his address, PM Phuc stated that the ASEAN-RoK relations have been established and strengthened over the past three decades on the basis of mutual understanding, mutual respect and the sharing of common visions, thereby bringing benefits to the nations and the people of the two sides.

He suggested a number of important directions for ASEAN-RoK cooperation in the next 30 years, including increasing the strategic connotation in partnership, upholding the compliance with international law, and shaping an open, inclusive, transparent and rules-based regional architecture, including Viet Nam.

He asked the RoK to support ASEAN in establishing a marine science research center to boost cooperation in developing the marine economy and preserving a sustainable marine environment.

Highlighting the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability in the region, the Vietnamese leader asked the RoK to back ASEAN’s stance and principles on the East Sea issue, including promoting the compliance with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, strengthening dialogue and trust building, implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parities in the East Sea (DOC) and negotiating a code of conduct in an effective and substantial manner and in accordance with international law, thus maintaining the East Sea as the waters of peace, stability, cooperation and free trade.

                                                                                                             By Vien Nhu