On October 9, continuing the working program of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related conferences in Vientiane, Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste attended Attend narrow sessions to discuss international and regional issues of common concern.
According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared his comments and assessments on the current world situation, emphasizing that although peace is a major trend, conflict and local wars continue, affecting all countries in the world, causing disruptions in supply chains and production chains, increasing raw material, energy and transportation costs.
The Prime Minister suggested that ASEAN needs to unite and promote a common voice calling for an end to wars and conflicts and finding solutions to bring peace on the basis of respect for international law.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that ASEAN needs to be more proactive in seizing and taking advantage of opportunities and growth drivers, promoting digital transformation, green development, responding to climate change as well as many potential areas of cooperation. other emerging capabilities.
Sharing about the East Sea issue, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that disputes over sovereignty of islands in the East Sea must be resolved by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially UNCLOS 1982, and requested the The party respects the interests and sovereign rights of the countries involved.
The Prime Minister stated that it is necessary to ensure security, safety, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, the most important transportation route, accounting for 60% of world cargo traffic and having an impact on the world. all countries, especially countries in the region. Accordingly, the Prime Minister proposed that ASEAN member countries unite, strengthen their central role and common stance on the East Sea.
Regarding Myanmar, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the role of the President of Laos in 2024 and the previous rotating presidents in supporting Myanmar to find solutions on the basis of a 5-point consensus, but implementation effectiveness so far is still limited. . That reality requires ASEAN to have a new approach.
Expressing agreement with many solutions proposed by other countries, the Prime Minister affirmed that the solution for Myanmar must be decided by the Myanmar people; We hope that relevant parties in Myanmar will dialogue and negotiate to end the conflict, without affecting the people or causing security consequences for the region, including transnational crime. online fraud.
On that basis, the Prime Minister suggested that relevant parties in Myanmar need to work together to find solutions.
ASEAN needs to promote its role as a bridge to create conditions for relevant parties to dialogue and negotiate. In those efforts, ASEAN needs to strengthen solidarity, unity and promote its central role. These are also the values that have made ASEAN successful and prestigious, helping ASEAN overcome difficulties and challenges and become the center of peace and cooperation.
Promote connection and self-reliance
According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the meeting, countries evaluated the profound movements in the international and regional security environment that pose many intertwined opportunities and challenges to ASEAN.
Geopolitical tensions, conflicts, and instability have broken out in many places, economic risks are constant, and many other challenges are emerging increasingly fiercely such as climate change, natural disasters, and cybersecurity. Besides, new growth drivers open up new potentials and development opportunities for ASEAN as well as cooperation between ASEAN and its partners.
In that context, leaders of countries emphasized the strategic significance of promoting connectivity and self-reliance, sharing the importance of maintaining solidarity, unity and the central role of ASEAN, and strengthening capacity. of ASEAN to confidently seize opportunities and overcome challenges.
Regarding international and regional issues of common concern, countries agreed to strengthen ASEAN’s principled stance on the East Sea, emphasizing respect for international law and peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of law. international and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
Leaders of countries highly appreciated the efforts of the Lao President and his special envoy to Myanmar, emphasizing that the 5-point consensus is the guiding document for ASEAN’s efforts to support Myanmar.