HNCC East Asia pioneers in strongly promoting new growth drivers

On October 11, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the 19th East Asia Summit.

Hội nghị cấp cao Đông Á lần thứ 19 tại Vientaine, Lào, ngày 11/10. (Ảnh: Quang Hòa)

The 19th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, October 11. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

At the 19th East Asia Summit (EAS), the Leaders affirmed their commitment to continue to strengthen and enhance the role of the EAS as a forum for Leaders to dialogue and cooperate on strategic, political and economic issues of mutual concern and interest with the aim of promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region, in accordance with the basic goals, principles and modalities of the EAS.

The Leaders highlighted the great potential and strengths of EAS with the convergence of many of the world's leading and dynamically developing economies, accounting for more than half of the world's total population and nearly two-thirds of the global GDP. The trade turnover between ASEAN and EAS Partners reached 1.7 trillion USD, and foreign direct investment (FDI) flows from EAS partners to ASEAN reached 124.6 billion USD in 2023.

Deeply aware of that, the countries agreed to closely coordinate to promote the effective implementation of the EAS Action Plan for the 2024-2028 period as well as the implementation of the results of the EAS Summits, prioritizing areas of common interest and urgency such as climate change response, disaster management, energy transition, self-reliant supply chains, maritime cooperation, health, education and training, while exploiting new growth drivers such as innovation, digital transformation, green economy, and effectively implementing free trade agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

ASEAN and EAS partners agreed to further promote the role and strategic value of the EAS, adapting more effectively to rapid changes, with intertwined challenges and opportunities. The countries affirmed their support for ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture that upholds international law, while emphasizing the important role of the EAS in promoting multilateralism and building a rules-based international order.

Speaking at the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expected the EAS to further promote its role and strategic value as a leading forum for dialogue on strategic issues affecting peace, security and development in the region, in order to effectively adapt to changes in the current regional and global strategic environment, promoting closer connectivity and stronger self-reliance.

Panorama of the 19th East Asia Summit in Vientiane, Laos, October 11. (Photo: Quang Hoa)

In order for EAS to meet that expectation, the Prime Minister emphasized that ASEAN and EAS partners need to make efforts to promote dialogue, cooperation and build strategic trust, increase common points, minimize disagreements, respect differences, look to the future, act constructively, responsibly, join hands to respond to common challenges, and jointly shape an open, inclusive, transparent regional structure that upholds international law with ASEAN playing a central role, facilitating economic development, avoiding conflicts, for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world, bringing prosperity and happiness to all people, leaving no one behind. At the same time, he asked partners to continue supporting ASEAN's central role through words and practical actions.

Appreciating the EAS with its great potential and strengths, the Prime Minister expected the EAS to pioneer in strongly promoting new growth drivers, giving priority to cooperation in science and technology development, innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy, sharing economy, knowledge economy as well as emerging industries and fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor chips, cloud computing, Internet of Things, network security, etc.

At the same time, EAS needs to take the lead in effectively responding to global challenges that affect the entire population, such as population aging, resource depletion, epidemics, climate change, natural disasters, etc., especially in the context of recent extreme climate events such as Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia or Typhoons Helene and Milton in the United States.

Having in-depth discussions on international and regional issues such as the East Sea, the Middle East, Myanmar, the Korean Peninsula, the conflict in Ukraine, etc., the countries emphasized the importance of peace, security, and stability in the region as a prerequisite, supporting and facilitating efforts to promote inclusive growth, self-reliant development, prosperity and sustainability at present. The partners affirmed their support for ASEAN's efforts, balanced and objective approach and common stance on these issues.

At the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared his views on issues of mutual concern, emphasizing the need to maintain peace, stability, cooperation and harmonious development of interests among relevant parties, ensuring security and safety of aviation and navigation in the East Sea, calling on all parties to exercise restraint, limit disagreements, exploit common points, promote cooperation, sincere, trustworthy, effective dialogue, based on the law, fully and effectively implement the DOC, creating an environment to promote the building of a substantive, effective, and efficient COC in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS.

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