Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Government have just concluded their working trip to attend the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related conferences in Vientiane (Laos).

The conference was successful with a series of impressive numbers, which was emphasized by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son when answering the press after the working trip.

How are the results of the ASEAN Summits and between ASEAN and its partners reflected in numbers, sir?

– With the theme “Promoting connectivity and self-reliance”, the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related conferences have been the focal events of the region in recent days, attracting the attention and follow-up of the international community.

The scale and success of the conference can be outlined through some impressive figures such as: nearly 20 activities, more than 30 leaders of ASEAN countries and partners attending, about 90 documents adopted and recorded, more than 2,000 delegates and 1,000 journalists participating in the work.

The spirit of “connection” and “self-reliance” not only left a strong impression at these conferences, but will continue to spread and develop more strongly in the future.

With the spirit of inspiring self-reliance, it can be seen that the more difficult the situation, the brighter the spirit of solidarity and self-reliance of ASEAN. In the face of the current profound and complex movements, this is more important than ever.

“Self-reliance” in today's context is reflected in ASEAN's maintaining its principled stance, promoting its central role and affirming its central position in regional processes.

“Self-reliance” today is also ASEAN's ability to respond to the fierce emergence of many non-traditional security challenges and the ability to proactively adapt to new development trends.

In that spirit, leaders of ASEAN countries and partners adopted many important documents such as the ASEAN Vision Statement on the Indo-Pacific towards a regional structure with ASEAN at the center, along with many statements on specific areas of cooperation such as enhancing supply chain connectivity, sustainable agriculture, climate change response, biodiversity, etc.

The orientation to unlock connectivity potential clearly states the goal of promoting connectivity between economies.

ASEAN and its partners have affirmed that this is a key pillar in the relationship, promoting trade connectivity, facilitating trade and investment through the adoption of statements such as the ASEAN+3 Summit Statement on enhancing connectivity of regional supply chains, and the ASEAN-Canada Summit Joint Statement on ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience.

On this occasion, leaders of ASEAN countries and China adopted a Declaration on the basic completion of negotiations on the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) version 3.0.

Leaders of ASEAN countries and partners also agreed to strengthen cooperation and effectively utilize new growth drivers such as digital transformation, green transformation, clean energy, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), and electric vehicle ecosystems.

Many important statements were adopted at these conferences, demonstrating the strong commitment and determination of the countries, such as the ASEAN-India Statement on Promoting Digital Transformation; the ASEAN-US Statement on Promoting Safe, Secure and Trusted Artificial Intelligence; and the ASEAN-China Statement on Cooperation in Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Ecosystem.

People-to-people connections and exchanges are also promoted, serving as the foundation for strengthening friendship, understanding and growing solidarity between people of different countries.

Partners from the US, South Korea, Australia, Japan, Canada, etc. all committed to increasing the number of scholarships, student exchanges, capacity building training, and investment in future generations.

In the spirit of inspiring future aspirations, 2024 marks a turning point for ASEAN, completing the 2025 Blueprints and setting development directions for the coming decades.

New and contemporary areas of cooperation will be reflected throughout the vision implementation strategies, shaping ASEAN's efforts in capturing and exploiting new growth drivers such as digital economy, digital transformation, green transformation, renewable energy, etc.

Thereby, continuing to demonstrate ASEAN's proactiveness, dynamism, and vitality, while creating a foundation for partners to continue to engage with the region and strengthen specific cooperation with ASEAN.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation to attend activities within the framework of the ASEAN Summit with a busy schedule. What are Vietnam's specific contributions to these conferences, sir?

– With a busy schedule of activities over 4 consecutive days, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the delegation members attended more than 60 bilateral and multilateral activities, affirming Vietnam's proactive, positive and responsible image, while contributing to promoting Vietnam's relations with its partners.

During the preparation process for the Conferences, Vietnamese ministries and sectors have actively promoted many cooperation priorities in specialized channels, both in line with the ASEAN theme in 2024 and meeting the common concerns of countries and regions.

The Vietnamese delegation also closely coordinated with the Lao President and other countries to proactively, willingly and responsibly contribute to the drafting of the Conference documents, making efforts to build common consensus.

At the conferences, the Prime Minister's speeches not only deepened the connotation of "connection" and "self-reliance" in the current context, but also suggested new thinking, approaches and development ideas for the region based on practical requirements.

First, promoting self-reliance at all levels. The Prime Minister affirmed that solidarity and unity in diversity, self-reliance and strategic autonomy are prerequisites for ASEAN to stand firm in the face of fluctuations.

In implementing relations with partners, ASEAN needs to maintain its central role, maintain independence, strategic balance and principled behavior.

In international and regional issues, ASEAN needs to firmly maintain principled stances, based on international law and promote a common voice.

In that spirit, the Prime Minister shared and promoted ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea issue.

He emphasized the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early completion of a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Prime Minister also asked partners to support ASEAN's stance and efforts to build the East Sea into a sea of ​​peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

Second, strategic connection in all aspects. Specifically, connecting common visions, contributing responsibly, constructively and with goodwill towards peace, stability and prosperity.

Along with that is connecting development cooperation, promoting new growth drivers such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy, sharing economy, stable and self-reliant supply chain; and connecting people, enhancing exchanges, bonds, understanding, further consolidating the identity of the ASEAN Community as well as the foundation of friendly relations between ASEAN and its partners.

Third, be ready for a new stage of ASEAN development. Faced with the rapid and complex movements of the current global and regional situation, the Prime Minister highlighted three tasks for ASEAN to develop steadily and move forward into the future.

ASEAN needs to have creative thinking, breakthrough ideas and decisive actions to promote its pioneering and leading role.

ASEAN also needs to be a bridge connecting regional priorities with global priorities, creating complementarity and resonance in efforts to ensure peace, security and development.

According to the Prime Minister, ASEAN needs to encourage broader participation and contribution from groups, genders, including parliaments, businesses, and youth to the process of building the Community.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister announced that Vietnam will continue to organize the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 with the desire to contribute more to regional cooperation and connectivity.

The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits were a great success, concluding the ASEAN Chairmanship year 2024.

In addition to multilateral activities, the head of the Vietnamese Government also took advantage of his time to promote cooperation through a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of countries and international organizations. In your opinion, what results has this brought?

– On the occasion of attending the Conference in Vientiane, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had meetings with all senior Lao leaders. The exchanges between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Laos were very sincere and substantive, demonstrating the highest level of trust and attachment.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh once again affirmed that Vietnam attaches special importance to and gives the highest priority to the great relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation with Laos, and always strives to foster and further develop the Vietnam-Laos relationship sustainably and in greater depth.

Lao senior leaders sincerely thank Vietnam for its wholehearted assistance and selfless, pure support for Laos in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the country's development today.

The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen cooperation and effective connectivity in various fields, including transport infrastructure, trade and investment, agriculture, high-tech livestock farming, and ensuring food security.

The leaders also agreed to focus on training high-quality human resources, tourism, people-to-people exchange, digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy, and coordination in preserving and protecting relics marking the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also had meetings with the Lao Prime Minister and the Cambodian Prime Minister, together emphasizing the tradition and value of Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia solidarity in the context of the complex and unpredictable world situation.

The leaders agreed to continue to coordinate to make the three countries' cooperation increasingly substantive and effective, meeting the practical needs of the three countries and in line with development needs in the new period.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister also had meetings and contacts with all senior leaders of countries and international organizations.

At the meetings, leaders of countries and international organizations affirmed the importance of relations with Vietnam, and highly appreciated Vietnam's increasing position and role in the international arena.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and senior leaders of the countries had in-depth and comprehensive discussions, reviewed the implementation of agreements, and discussed measures to strengthen relations in traditional areas and expand cooperation to new areas such as digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI).

This opens up opportunities to make cooperation between Vietnam and other countries increasingly deeper, more effective and more substantive.

During the conference, leaders of Vietnamese ministries and sectors also had many meetings with Lao and other foreign partners to discuss specific measures to strengthen cooperation in the fields under their responsibility.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/60-hoat-dong-trong-4-ngay-ban-ron-cua-thu-tuong-o-dat-nuoc-trieu-voi-20241011173505199.htm