ASEAN-43: ASEAN-Australia strengthen economic ties

On the afternoon of September 7, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the ASEAN-Australia Summit.

The ASEAN-Australia Summit welcomed the implementation of the 2020-2024 Action Plan. In 2022, total two-way trade turnover reached US$101.08 billion, while Australia's FDI in ASEAN reached US$2.01 billion.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed that he attaches importance to ASEAN and is committed to implementing the Southeast Asia Economic Cooperation Strategy to 2040, creating momentum for the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; and looks forward to the ASEAN-Australia 50th Anniversary Summit in March 2024 in Melbourne, Australia, which will contribute to the strong development of cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that over nearly 50 years of developing relations, ASEAN and Australia have become close neighbors, reliable partners and sincere friends.

Appreciating the AUD 124 million Australia Future for ASEAN initiative to support regional challenges, recovery and sustainable development, ASEAN agreed to work with Australia to focus on promoting trade, investment, market access, and strengthening multilateral trade links, including the effective implementation of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), cooperation in education, training, vocational training, human resource development, digital transformation, disaster management, energy transition, and climate change response.

The Australian Prime Minister emphasized cooperation in responding to challenges such as climate change and transnational crime, and supporting ASEAN in implementing priorities such as carbon neutrality strategy, blue economy, food security, and clean energy.

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that in order to reach new heights in the next 50 years and beyond, it is necessary to strengthen economic and trade ties in a balanced and sustainable manner, which should be considered the focus and driving force for development, and to coordinate the implementation of the AANZFTA Agreement, promote trade and investment liberalization, and enhance connectivity.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh added that developing high-quality human resources is a strategic breakthrough for ASEAN-Australia relations, aiming towards a sustainable development future for the people. Accordingly, he hoped that both sides would coordinate to further strengthen this effort, better meeting development requirements in the new period.

Prime Minister Albanese proposed to successfully build new pillars of cooperation on innovation, together supporting the successful implementation of digital transformation and green transformation towards sustainable development.

Accordingly, the ASEAN-Australia High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change and Energy Transition co-chaired by Australia, Vietnam and Laos to be held later this year in Hanoi is expected to make a practical contribution to this effort.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hopes that Australia will continue to pay attention to and support the development of the Mekong sub-region, including the Mekong Delta, through the Mekong-Australia Partnership framework.

At the end of the Conference, the Leaders adopted a Joint Statement on strengthening cooperation to ensure food security in times of crisis.

Discussing regional and international issues, ASEAN and its partners emphasized the importance of maintaining and ensuring a peaceful, secure and stable environment in the region, including the East Sea, which is of common concern and interest to all countries. The partners affirmed their support for ASEAN's efforts, balanced and objective approach and common stance on these issues.

Sharing the opinions of other countries, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reaffirmed the common stance on the East Sea, calling on Partners to support the full and effective implementation of the DOC Declaration, and the development of an effective, efficient, and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to making the East Sea a sea of peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development.

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