Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung suggested countries participating in the ninth East Asia Summit (EAS) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on November 13 set up a long-term vision to build a regional architecture of peace, stability and development.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the summit (Photo: VNA)

It is needed to further uphold the EAS’s role in promoting economic growth and regional connectivity and integration, he said, asking participating countries to support efforts to build an ASEAN Community by 2015 as well as negotiations on regional integration and trade liberalisation, including on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

The Vietnamese leader also asked partner countries to increase assistance to ASEAN in creating connectivity and narrowing development gap, including the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration.

Urging for strengthened cooperation in coping with global challenges, he applauded the EAS’s approval of relevant joint statements such as the Joint Statement on EAS Guidelines for Rapid Disaster Response and another on Regional Response to the Outbreak of Ebola.

Regarding the East Sea issue, PM Nguyen Tan Dung made it clear that peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation are the mutual interest and concern of regional and non-regional countries.

He asked all sides to exert greater efforts to comply with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, exercise of self-restraint, avoid unilateral actions that escalate the situation or alter the status quo in the East Sea, solve disputes through peaceful measures, not use or threat to use force, and fully and seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

During their summit, the leaders underlined the importance of the EAS and the central role that ASEAN plays in EAS cooperation and regional structure.

They agreed to reinforce cooperation in such areas as energy, finance, environment, and disaster, education and disease management. The leaders also spoke highly of the Asia-Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance launched by Vietnam and Australia.

The ninth EAS was attended by the State and Government leaders from the 10 ASEAN countries, Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, the US, and the ASEAN Secretary-General.

Source: vietnam+