Prime Minister proposes ways to reinforce Asia - Europe relations

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh put forward four proposals to enhance cooperation among Asian and European countries while addressing the 13th Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit via videoconference on November 26.

Themed “Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth”, the summit took place under the chair of Cambodia.

Noting the proposals to strengthen Asia - Europe ties, the PM said the countries should stay united and join hands to boost global cooperation since no country can single-handed deal with global issues. They should cooperate to share and ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs and developed nations should assist developing countries to improve the capacity of coping with global issues, he said.

Besides, it is necessary to step up digital transformation and human resource training for developing and poor countries, while enhancing public-private partnership to mobilise resources for development, PM Chinh said.

 

To contribute to this process, Vietnam will organise an ASEM roundtable meeting on the digital economy in 2022, the PM added.

He also talked about Vietnam’s efforts and priorities in COVID-19 response and socio-economic recovery and development, affirming that the country has been making responsible contributions to the settlement of non-traditional security challenges.

Non-traditional challenges have been increasing in terms of both extent and intensity, setting an urgent requirement for enhancing multilateral cooperation on the basis of international law, cooperative spirit, responsibility sharing, and contribution for common interest. The key factor is dialogue, respect, sincerity, practicalness, effectiveness, and reinforcement of trust among countries, according to the Government leader.

PM Chinh highlighted efforts by Vietnam and other ASEAN countries to maintain peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, stressing that each country needs to uphold their sense of responsibility and avoid taking unilateral actions that may complicate the situation or run counter to international law.

He also took this occasion to ask Asian and European countries to further open their export - import markets and increase investment.

At the summit, PM Chinh’s practical assessments and proposals were highly valued by other ASEM leaders and reflected in the event’s documents.

The leaders shared the common perception on the need to boost cooperation to ensure a peaceful and stable environment for development. They reiterated the commitment to sustaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight, and not impeding economic activities that are in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The 14th ASEM Summit is scheduled to take place in Europe in 2023./.