Singapore (VNA) – ✅The 51st ASEANForeign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 51) ended on August 2 in Singapore with a JointCommuniqué urging the bloc to strengthen its internal strength throughincreasing intra-bloc trade and investment and regional economic connectivity.

The Foreign Ministers of the 10 ASEAN countries also reachedconsensus on building a resilient and innovative ASEAN on the foundation of theimplementation of reached targets and initiatives, including the launch of theASEAN Smart Cities Network, cooperation in cyber security and harmonisation oflegal frameworks. The minister agreed to continue with efforts for the effectiveimplementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and blueprints for building theCommunity’s three pillars, narrowing the development gap, enhancingconnectivity, and to promote complementarities between those blueprints withthe United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the context of natural disasters in the region, includingthe dam collapse in Laos, the ministers called for increasing mutual cooperationand support, including the role of the AHA Centre. On the bloc’s external relations, the ministers acknowledgedprogress in cooperation between ASEAN and its partners and agreed to furtherbolster the ties in the time ahead. The ministers agreed to build the ASEAN-China StrategicPartnership Vision 2030 to be adopted at the 21st ASEAN-China Summitin November this year, convene the 21st ASEAN-Japan Summit tocommemorate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan ties also in November,and hold the 4th ASEAN-Russia Summit at the end of this year. On the occasion, the ministers signed documents to extendthe Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with Argentina and Iran, bringing thenumber of signatories to 37. Regarding the East Sea, the ASEAN ministers reaffirmed the importanceof maintaining peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation andoverflight above the East Sea. They took note of concerns on the land reclamationsand activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, and mayundermine peace, security and stability in the region. The ministers urged self-restraint in the conduct ofactivities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation andescalate tension in the East Sea, and the peaceful settlement of disputes inaccordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, along with thefull and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC). They took note of the progress of the negotiations toward aneffective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), including the agreement on aSingle Draft COC Negotiating Text, and emphasised the need to maintain anenvironment conducive to the COC negotiations. Addressing the AMM 51 and related meetings, Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh underlined the multi-facetedprogresses in ASEAN cooperation and in cooperation between ASEAN and partners. Amidst rapid and unforeseeable developments in the regionaland global situations, the Vietnamese Deputy PM proposed that ASEAN focus moreon intra-bloc cooperation. He also suggested that the bloc maintain solidarity and itscentral role, while enhancing its collective capacity to respond to arisingchallenges. Deputy PM Minh also shared concerns about recent activitiesin the waters, including militarisation, which he said affected peace, securityin the region and trust among countries. He urged concerned parties to restrainthemselves, avoid actions that can complicate the situation while adhering toagreed principles and commitments, including those mentioned in the DOC, thus maintainingan environment inductive for the negotiation of the COC.-VNA