On the evening of October 11, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation returned to Hanoi, successfully concluding their working trip to attend the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits in Laos from October 8 to 11, 2024, at the invitation of Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, ASEAN Chair 2024 Sonexay Siphandone.
With a busy schedule of activities over 4 consecutive days, the Prime Minister and members of the delegation attended more than 60 bilateral and multilateral activities, affirming and promoting Vietnam's proactive, positive and responsible role, while contributing to promoting Vietnam's relations with partners.
ASEAN self-reliance, self-reliance, promoting connectivity, towards the future
With the theme "ASEAN: Promoting Connectivity and Resilience", the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits were a great success, concluding the year in which Laos assumed the role of ASEAN Chair 2024, with nearly 20 activities, more than 30 ASEAN leaders and partners attending, about 90 documents adopted and acknowledged, more than 2,000 delegates attending the events and 1,000 journalists covering the news. This is the most important series of high-level activities of ASEAN in the year.
During the preparation process for the Conferences, Vietnam's ministries and sectors have actively promoted many cooperation priorities in specialized channels, which are both consistent with the ASEAN theme in 2024 and meet the common concerns of countries and regions. Vietnam has closely coordinated with Laos - the ASEAN Chair in 2024 and member countries to proactively, willingly and responsibly contribute to the development of Conference documents, striving to maintain a common consensus on many major regional and world issues.
At the Conferences, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's speeches not only deepened the connotation of ASEAN's "connectivity" and "self-reliance" in the current context, but also suggested new thinking, approaches and development ideas for the region based on practical requirements.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that in the context of an increasingly volatile world, ASEAN continues to be a bright spot in the global economy, a bridge of dialogue and cooperation, and the center of integration and connectivity processes in the region. Frameworks on digital economy, blue economy, circular economy, etc. are gradually shaping new cooperation content in the region.
Considering that ASEAN is preparing for a new development phase with new thinking, new vision, new motivation and new attitude, and with the desire to contribute more to regional cooperation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that more than ever, ASEAN needs to take self-reliance as the foundation to reach new heights, take connectivity as the focus to make breakthroughs, and take innovation as the driving force to pioneer and lead. Self-reliance and strategic autonomy are the foundation for ASEAN to stand firm in the face of all fluctuations; promote internal connectivity combined with external connectivity, public-private connectivity, multi-sectoral connectivity; innovation is the driving force and main driving force for ASEAN to catch up, progress together and surpass the region and the world.
Regarding promoting ASEAN's "self-reliance" at all levels, the Prime Minister affirmed that solidarity, unity in diversity, self-reliance and strategic autonomy are prerequisites for ASEAN to stand firm in the face of fluctuations. In implementing relations with partners, ASEAN needs to maintain its central role, maintain independence, strategic balance and principled behavior. In international and regional issues, ASEAN needs to firmly maintain its principled stances, based on international law, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and promote a common voice.
In that spirit, the Prime Minister shared and promoted ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea issue, emphasizing the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early completion of a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Prime Minister also asked partners to support ASEAN's stance and efforts to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also emphasized the need for strategic connectivity in all aspects. Specifically, connecting a common vision, contributing responsibly, constructively and with goodwill to peace, stability and prosperity; connecting development cooperation, promoting new growth drivers such as digital economy, green economy, circular economy, sharing economy, stable and self-reliant supply chains; and connecting people, enhancing exchanges, engagement, understanding, further consolidating the identity of the ASEAN Community as well as the foundation of friendly relations between ASEAN and its partners.
Proposing to be ready for the new development phase of ASEAN, in the face of the rapid and complex movements of the current world and regional situation, the Prime Minister highlighted three tasks for ASEAN to develop steadily and step firmly into the future. These are: ASEAN needs to have creative thinking, breakthrough ideas and drastic actions to promote its pioneering and leading role; ASEAN needs to be a bridge connecting regional priorities with global priorities, creating complementarity and resonance in efforts to ensure peace, security and development; ASEAN needs to encourage broader participation and contribution of groups, genders, including parliaments, businesses and youth to the process of building the Community. Before the ASEAN leaders, the Prime Minister announced that Vietnam will continue to organize the "ASEAN Future Forum 2025" with the desire to contribute more to regional cooperation and connectivity.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also suggested that ASEAN and its partners need to "be resilient in the face of natural disasters and climate change"; promote cooperation in disaster management and damage reduction, enhance community resilience, and give higher priority to cooperation in energy transition, green transition, environmental protection, and climate change response; especially in the context of recent extreme climate phenomena such as Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia or Typhoons Helene and Milton in the United States.
The activities and statements of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation affirmed Vietnam's stance on regional and international issues in the spirit of respecting consensus within ASEAN. Vietnam's active, proactive, dynamic and effective participation, together with ASEAN member countries and partners, has handled global and regional issues; together with member countries, maintained and strengthened ASEAN's central role and promoted ASEAN's responsible voice for peace, stability and development in the region and the world. Vietnam's contributions and initiatives in the main contents discussed, the documents announced, approved or recorded at the conferences have significantly contributed to the major results achieved at these Summits, while effectively protecting Vietnam's legitimate interests.
Vietnam gives top priority to relations with Laos
On the occasion of attending the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits in Vientiane, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had meetings with all senior leaders of Laos: General Secretary and President Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Chairman of the National Assembly Saysomphone Phomvihane, Standing member of the Secretariat and Vice President Bounthong Chitmany. The exchanges were very sincere and substantive, demonstrating the highest level of attachment and trust.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that the Party, State and people of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give the highest priority to the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos, considering it an invaluable asset, an objective requirement, a top priority, the number one choice and a vital factor for the revolutionary cause of the two countries, which needs to be preserved for future generations. The leaders of the Lao Party and State sincerely thank Vietnam for its wholehearted, righteous assistance and selfless, pure support for Laos in the past struggle for national liberation as well as in the country's development today.
In the context of complicated developments in the world and the region, the two sides affirmed to continue to foster the Vietnam - Laos relationship "forever green, forever sustainable", bringing economic cooperation to increasingly develop substantially, effectively, commensurate with the political relationship, in order to better meet the practical interests of each country and suit the development needs in the new period.
The leaders of the Lao Party and State and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh agreed that in the coming time, the two sides need to focus on effectively implementing the agreements and cooperation agreements between the two countries, especially the results of the recent meeting between the two Politburoes of Vietnam and Laos in Hanoi; continue to regularly exchange experiences and information, closely coordinate and support each other at international and regional forums, especially at ASEAN, the United Nations and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.
The two sides agreed to further strengthen the connection between the two economies of Vietnam - Laos and between the three economies of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia; continue to strengthen cooperation and effective connection in various fields, including transport infrastructure, trade - investment, agriculture, high-tech livestock, ensuring food security; focus on training high-quality human resources, tourism, people-to-people exchange, digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy, and coordinate to preserve and protect relics marking the special solidarity relationship between Vietnam and Laos.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highly appreciated Laos' role as ASEAN Chair 2024, affirming that Vietnam is ready to strengthen coordination with Laos and other countries to ensure the success of ASEAN Conferences, contributing to promoting Laos' prestige and ASEAN's solidarity and consensus.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had meetings with the Lao Prime Minister and the Cambodian Prime Minister, together emphasizing the tradition and value of Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia solidarity in the context of the complicated and unpredictable world situation; agreed to continue to coordinate to make the three countries' cooperation increasingly substantive and effective, meeting the practical needs of the three countries and in line with development needs in the new period.
The "whole-people, comprehensive, global" approach and the "ASEAN star" position
On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also had meetings and contacts with all senior leaders of countries and international organizations: the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, the President of the Philippines, the President of South Korea, the Prime Minister of India, the Prime Minister of Japan, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Minister of Singapore, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the Prime Minister of Thailand, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Vice President of Indonesia, the President of the European Council, the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Vice President of the World Bank (WB)...
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and senior leaders of the countries had in-depth and comprehensive discussions, reviewed the implementation of agreements, and discussed measures to strengthen relations in traditional fields, including economics, trade, investment, security, defense, culture, education, people-to-people exchange, and expanded cooperation to new areas such as digital transformation, green transformation, circular economy, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI), opening up opportunities to deepen, effectively, and substantively cooperate between Vietnam and other countries.
For each partner, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed very specific and appropriate cooperation orientations. In particular, the Prime Minister asked Japan, South Korea, the World Bank, AIIB, etc. to provide preferential loans to Vietnam to implement large-scale, symbolic infrastructure projects such as high-speed railways, expressways, seaports, airports, etc.
With Singapore, the Prime Minister proposed to effectively implement the Green Economy and Digital Economy Partnership; develop a system of sustainable and smart Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Parks (VSIP) 2.0; Singapore supports Vietnam in building a model of a National Data Science Innovation Center. With Thailand, the two Prime Ministers agreed to coordinate with relevant countries to pilot the tourism cooperation initiative "Six countries, one destination".
With India, the two Prime Ministers agreed to soon negotiate a bilateral Free Trade Agreement and increase the frequency of direct flights connecting major cities of the two countries. With the Philippines, the two leaders discussed Vietnam's continued support for the Philippines in ensuring food security and effectively implementing the memorandums of understanding on agricultural cooperation and rice trade cooperation signed earlier this year.
With Brunei, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, agriculture, fisheries, oil and gas, and participate in the global supply chain of Halal goods and food.
The Prime Minister also asked countries to coordinate with Vietnam to minimize illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, support Vietnam to soon remove the European Commission's "yellow card" on seafood, and treat each other's fishermen and fishing vessels humanely, in accordance with the Strategic Partnership and ASEAN solidarity.
Leaders of countries and international organizations affirmed the importance of relations with Vietnam, highly appreciating the increasing position and role of Vietnam in the international arena. Sharing and appreciating the Prime Minister's opinions and proposals, many partners wished to soon develop relations with Vietnam to a new height.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres assessed Vietnam as a model of peace and sustainable development, "the star of ASEAN"; contributing to raising the voice and role of developing countries; hoping that Vietnam will continue to take the lead in efforts to promote peace, stability, inclusive and sustainable development globally.
The Secretary-General also highly agreed with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's vision and "all-people, comprehensive, global" approach in solving issues such as natural disasters, climate change, population aging, resource depletion, etc.
Meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh for the first time, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba affirmed that Vietnam is a key partner in implementing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Initiative; wished to deepen the Japan-Vietnam relationship and further substantiate it; and highly agreed with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's proposals on enhancing economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
The President of the Republic of Korea highly appreciated Vietnam's active support for upgrading ASEAN-Korea relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at this Conference, especially during the time Vietnam plays the role of coordinator of ASEAN-Korea relations (2021-2024).
Emphasizing that Vietnam is an important partner in implementing the European Union's (EU) Indo-Pacific Strategy, the President of the European Council affirmed that the EU will promote the early ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), actively consider removing the IUU "yellow card" for Vietnam and continue to support Vietnam in effectively implementing the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) framework.
Sharing about the upcoming change in leadership generation in Indonesia, the Indonesian Vice President also emphasized that the cooperative relationship between the two countries will not only remain unchanged, but will continue to develop more and more comprehensively.
Message of "5 pioneers" and "4 together" with the business community
Also on this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ASEAN BIS) 2024, and attended a special breakfast exchange between the three Prime Ministers of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC).
Emphasizing the role of businesses, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that "without a team of good entrepreneurs, the economy will stagnate and the country will not be able to prosper". If businesses develop, the country will develop. If businesses in the ASEAN bloc develop, ASEAN countries will develop, contributing to bringing prosperity and happiness to the people.
The Prime Minister asked businesses and entrepreneurs to continue contributing so that ASEAN countries can continue to promote solidarity, unity, self-reliance and become the focus of growth, and support the Governments to achieve the set goals.
In particular, the Prime Minister requested businesses and entrepreneurs to implement "5 pioneering steps", including: Pioneering in contributing to a self-reliant ASEAN, participating in handling emerging issues, global issues, and the whole people; pioneering in promoting economic connectivity, including both hard and soft connections, taking people and businesses as the center, the subject, the goal, the resource, and the driving force for development; pioneering in promoting the development of science and technology and innovation, startups, especially in responding to climate change, population aging, natural disasters, epidemics and developing emerging fields, renewing traditional growth drivers and promoting new growth drivers; pioneering in building strategic infrastructure in each country and connecting between countries; pioneering in integration within ASEAN and with the world.
The Prime Minister also hopes that the business community of ASEAN countries will continue to cooperate, support and contribute to helping the three countries of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia raise their economic ties to the same level as their geographical and historical ties and good political and diplomatic relations.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam creates the most favorable conditions for businesses and investors to fully develop their capabilities and creativity, while at the same time maximizing Vietnam's unique potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages. The Government will continue to promote its role in creating development with the motto of "open policies, smooth infrastructure, smart governance", reducing compliance costs and logistics costs for people and businesses.
The Prime Minister called on foreign businesses and entrepreneurs to continue to invest and cooperate in Vietnam in the spirit of "4 together": "Listening and understanding together", "sharing vision and action together", "working together, winning together, enjoying together, developing together", "sharing joy, happiness and pride"; harmonious benefits, shared risks between the State, businesses and people.
The working trip once again affirmed that after nearly 3 decades of participating in ASEAN, Vietnam is a responsible member with an increasingly respected role and voice, and is ready to contribute more, be more proactive in common work, and make every effort for common success, with a spirit of proactive implementation, substantive participation and sincere contribution; at the same time, Vietnam closely coordinates, supports and assists Laos in its role as ASEAN Chair 2024 to successfully assume its important responsibilities, contributing to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's working trip contributes to continuing to implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of the 13th National Party Congress and Conclusion 59-KL/TW of the Politburo on orientations for ASEAN participation until 2030; continuing to deepen relations, at the same time creating a position of intertwined interests, increasing trust, taking advantage of all opportunities and maximizing resources for national development.
Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/viet-nam-di-dau-trong-cac-no-luc-thuc-day-hoa-binh-on-dinh-phat-trien-bao-trum-va-ben-vung-tren-toan-cau-381517.html
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