Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Chairman of ASEAN 2020, on the morning of November 14, chaired the 8th ASEAN-US Summit to be held online.
Attending the meeting were leaders of ASEAN countries, US National Security Advisor Robert C. O’Brien, and ASEAN Secretary General, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam.
Opening the Conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the ASEAN-US strategic partnership. The Prime Minister affirmed that over the past four decades, ASEAN and the US have maintained relations on the basis of mutual trust, respect and understanding, for the common goal of promoting peace, stability, development and cooperation. win-win cooperation.
The Prime Minister welcomed the United States, ASEAN's strategic partner, for its constructive and accountable contributions to efforts to strengthen trust, dialogue and cooperation in the region through frameworks chaired by ASEAN.
Partners actively promote many initiatives
In particular, in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the United States as one of the partners actively promoting many practical cooperation initiatives to support ASEAN countries and Southeast Asia. high capacity for disease response.
Prime Minister affirmed, in the spirit of "cohesion and proactive adaptation", ASEAN will continue to promote effective cooperation and close coordination with the international community, partners, including the US, respond promptly and effectively to emerging challenges, including successfully controlling and gradually repelling the Covid-19 pandemic, minimizing the negative impacts of epidemics, maintaining a stable environment, promote recovery and sustainable development.
Speaking at the conference, US National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien highly appreciated Vietnam's proactive role as ASEAN 2020 Chair, especially in coordinating regional efforts with other partners in the context of many difficulties and obstacles, especially the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The US National Security Advisor affirmed his commitment to assist ASEAN countries to cope with the epidemic through both financial and equipment assistance with a total value of $ 87 million.
American National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien also affirmed that ASEAN's successful building of the Community and its central role is in line with America's interests, making an important contribution to the relationship. strategic cooperation between ASEAN and US.
The US is particularly interested in scientific cooperation, education and training, to improve human resources, improve the ability of countries to respond to medical challenges and to resilient.
US National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien reaffirms America's commitment to building and developing an ASEAN-US strategic partnership for regional peace and prosperity on the basis of respect for independence. mutual sovereignty and cooperation for mutual benefit, as the ASEAN Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) points out.
Regarding sub-regional cooperation, the US highly appreciated the decision to upgrade the Mekong-US partnership into a strategic partnership, and said that it is necessary to distribute benefits and resources in a balanced and responsible manner.
The US National Security Advisor affirmed that the US Development Finance Group (DFC) is implementing many infrastructure development projects in the region after investing more than $ 1 billion in Southeast Asia.
Compliance with international law consistent with the LOS Convention
The United States reaffirms the importance of complying with international law, unobstructed trade, and supporting coastal states to exercise sovereignty over marine resources in accordance with regulations of the Government. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).
ASEAN leaders acknowledged the good development partnership. ASEAN affirmed that it would facilitate the operations of more than 4,200 US investors and businesses, including 350 leading US businesses in the region. ASEAN encourages American businesses to prioritize a number of areas such as infrastructure development, clean energy, high technology, digital economy ...
ASEAN welcomes the US to spend $ 3.5 billion to improve the public health capacity of ASEAN countries over the past 20 years; requested the US to implement the ASEAN-US Health Future Initiative.
The two sides agreed to closely coordinate in controlling and repelling Covid-19, to soon overcome the negative effects of the epidemic, gradually restore and stabilize the socio-economic life, maintain the production chain - supply area. ASEAN wants the US to actively support the ASEAN Fund to Respond to Covid-19 and the Medical Material Reserve, which ASEAN announced to establish within the framework of the 37th ASEAN Summit.
Talking about the international and regional situation, the leaders affirmed that countries need to contribute together to maintain a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world.
We welcome the US contribution to regional security and stability
Emphasizing the vast Pacific waters attached to the security and development space of ASEAN countries and the US, the leaders expressed concern that in the South China Sea there are still potential threats to peace, security and stability and actions that go against international law, destabilize, complicate the situation and raise concerns for countries in the region.
At the same time, the leaders emphasized the importance of dialogue, building trust, adhering to the rule of law, not militarizing, restraining, taking no action to complicate the situation, and peacefully settling disputes. compliance on the basis of international law, including UNCLOS 1982, considering this as the legal basis for all activities at sea.
ASEAN welcomes the US for its active contribution to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and hopes the United States supports efforts to uphold international law, and establish and sharing standards of conduct, seriously implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and developing an effective, effective, law-consistent Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) France and UNCLOS 1982.
Sharing the opinions of the countries at the Conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc acknowledged that the US was an important economic and development partner of ASEAN.
In 2019, two-way trade turnover reached 292 billion USD, making the United States the second largest trading partner of ASEAN, and also the largest FDI investor, with a total capital of more than 330 billion USD.
The Prime Minister highly appreciated the signed Memorandum of Understanding between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and ASEAN to help create a favorable framework for development cooperation efforts between the two sides.
The Prime Minister welcomed the US $ 5 million grant to the establishment of the Institute for the Initiative of Young Leaders in Southeast Asia (YSEALI) at Fulbright University Vietnam and hoped that the United States would soon launch the regional office of the Center for Prevention and Control. Disease Control (CDC) in Hanoi.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc clearly affirmed Vietnam's position in line with ASEAN's principled stance on the South China Sea, which was affirmed at the 36th ASEAN Summit, and ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting. for the 53rd time of September 2020 as well as at the 37th ASEAN Summit, to build the East Sea into a sea area of peace, stability and cooperation.
The Conference adopted the Joint Statement on Human Resource Development. The Chairman of the Conference issued a Presidential Statement on the outcome of the 8th ASEAN - US Summit.