Activities of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on the fourth day of attending AMM-56

On July 14, the fourth working day of AMM-56, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the ceremony where President Joko Widodo received ASEAN Foreign Ministers, attended ASEAN East Asia, ASEAN-US, ARF and bilateral meetings.

On July 14, the fourth working day of AMM-56, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the ceremony where President Joko Widodo received ASEAN Foreign Ministers, attended ASEAN East Asia, ASEAN-US, ARF and bilateral meetings.

At AMM-56, early morning on July 14, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the ceremony where President Joko Widodo received the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and partner countries.

Welcoming the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and partner countries, President Joko Widodo expressed his confidence that the Ministers will work together to find solutions to the current regional and global issues.

President Joko Widodo welcomes Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Joko Widodo pledged to continue strengthening solidarity, unity and enhancing ASEAN's central role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Panorama of the greeting ceremony.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and Politburo member and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Wang Yi.

Immediately afterwards, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers Meeting. The Foreign Ministers agreed to jointly contribute to enhancing the adaptability of countries, shaping an open, inclusive, transparent regional structure, upholding international law with ASEAN at the center.

The conference adopted the EAS Action Plan for the 2024-2028 period, with 16 specific areas such as sustainable development, maritime cooperation, trade promotion, connectivity, education, food security, women's empowerment, etc.

Speaking at the Conference, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed the important achievements of EAS, worthy of the expectations placed on him. The Minister emphasized that through consultation, EAS has contributed to promoting the culture of dialogue and cooperation, increasing commonalities, narrowing differences, and enhancing trust among countries. The Minister highly appreciated the commitments and support of Partners for ASEAN, and emphasized that those commitments need to be demonstrated in action, through active participation and effective contribution to ASEAN-led mechanisms.

At noon on July 14, on the sidelines of AMM-56, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Congratulating the new Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Minister Bui Thanh Son expressed his belief that Minister Fidan will be successful in his new position, contributing to the development of Vietnam-Turkey relations. To celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations, the two Ministers agreed to promote the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations; effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms; better exploit cooperation potential and enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested that Turkish enterprises promote business and investment in Vietnam, especially in areas where the two sides can complement each other.

In the early afternoon of July 14, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met with Canadian Minister Melanie Joly. The two Ministers agreed that after 50 years, bilateral cooperation is at a turning point, requiring new directions in line with the international and regional situation and the level of relations. Minister Bui Thanh Son welcomed the Canadian Government's Indo-Pacific Strategy, which emphasizes the central role of ASEAN; agreed that the implementation of the Strategy will open up new cooperation opportunities between Canada and ASEAN in general, and Vietnam in particular, including ensuring the implementation of UNCLOS 1982.

Immediately afterwards, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape. Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Vietnam wishes to strengthen relations with the South Pacific island nations, including Papua New Guinea. The Minister assessed that the potential for cooperation between the two sides is still very large, especially in the fields of economics, trade, agriculture, fisheries, etc.

In response, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea said that Papua New Guinea welcomes Vietnamese businesses to invest in Papua New Guinea in areas such as fisheries, agriculture, oil and gas. In the near future, Papua New Guinea will send delegations of officials and businesses to Vietnam to explore and discuss cooperation opportunities.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son talks with the Minister (from left: US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong).

Also on the afternoon of July 14, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son attended the ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The Ministers affirmed that they will continue to develop cooperation after the success of the Commemorative Summit in May 2022, further promoting the ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The delegates also pledged to coordinate to deepen economic, trade, investment relations, and respond to non-traditional security challenges.

At the same time, ASEAN and the United States will strengthen cooperation in energy transition, science, technology and innovation, sustainable infrastructure development, environmental protection, climate change response, etc. ASEAN welcomes the proposal of the United States to participate in the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). On this occasion, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the establishment of the ASEAN-US Center to support these efforts.

Welcoming the good results of cooperation between ASEAN and the United States, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that ASEAN will closely coordinate with the United States to develop the comprehensive strategic partnership in a practical, effective and mutually beneficial manner, contributing to promoting dialogue, shaping and sharing standards of conduct among countries. The Minister emphasized the need to prioritize promoting economy, trade, science, technology, and innovation as key areas and driving forces for ASEAN-US cooperation.

At the Conferences, the countries had in-depth discussions on international and regional issues. The Partners affirmed their support for ASEAN's efforts, balanced and objective approach and common stance on these issues.

On the afternoon of July 14, within the framework of AMM-56, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and other countries attended the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) . The countries reviewed the implementation of the forum's activities in the 2022-2023 academic year, exchanged directions for the ARF in the coming time, and discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The countries affirmed the importance of ARF as the leading forum in the region to promote dialogue and cooperation on political and security issues, contributing to joint efforts in confidence building and preventive diplomacy. The countries emphasized that ARF is an indispensable component of the regional architecture with ASEAN at its center.

In the context of complex and unpredictable changes, the Ministers agreed to enhance the effectiveness of ARF operations, promote the value, vitality and adaptability of the Forum in the face of current and future opportunities and challenges. The countries agreed to maintain cooperation in the fields of maritime security, disaster relief, cyber security, counter-terrorism and transnational crime, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and disarmament, defense cooperation, peacekeeping, etc. and approved a list of activities for 2023-2024.

Minister Bui Thanh Son reviewed the development of ARF over the past 30 years, emphasizing that ARF's great contribution is to form the habit of consultation and dialogue. The process of building ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea issue is a clear demonstration of the efforts and achievements of consultation, affirming and promoting basic principles such as peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for international law and UNCLOS 1982. Discussing future directions, Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized the need to ensure ASEAN's central role, uphold the goals and principles of ARF, shape substantive agendas, promote the responsibilities of members, and maintain a balanced and inclusive approach. The culture of dialogue and consultation needs to be maintained, strengthened and developed with ASEAN at the center, thereby contributing to peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region.

Late on July 14, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister MUM Ali Sabry. The two sides affirmed the importance of the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Sri Lanka; agreed that in the coming time, measures should be taken to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas commensurate with the level of the relationship. Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested that the two sides increase the exchange of high-level delegations and at all levels; promote economic, trade, investment, cultural and people-to-people cooperation...

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister shared Sri Lanka's efforts and policies to soon overcome domestic economic difficulties, hoping that Vietnam would support its participation in regional economic cooperation frameworks, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); and suggested that the two countries coordinate to better exploit tourism potential, especially Buddhist tourism.

At the end of this series of Conferences, the Foreign Ministers adopted and acknowledged nearly 40 documents of various types, of which the Joint Communiqué of the 56th AMM Conference comprehensively reflected the contents and results of the discussions.

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