Singapore (VNA) – ASEAN’s unity must continue tobe the key factor in both thought and actions for the sake of a steady,resilient and strongly cohesive ASEAN Community, Vietnamese Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc said at a plenary session of the 33rd ASEAN Summit inSingapore on November 13.

Addressing other ASEAN leaders, he appreciatedthe achievements ASEAN has made under the chairmanship of Singapore and thankedSingaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong for his contributions.

He stressed that basing on what have beenobtained in 2018, ASEAN’s resilience and innovation must continue to bepromoted in the coming years.

The Vietnamese Government leader also urgedASEAN members to deepen cooperation and expand dialogues to build trust, upholdinternational law, support a rule-based international multilateral system, andenhance cooperation in innovation areas to optimize opportunities in the FourthIndustrial Revolution and bring the most practical benefits to their people.

PM Phuc shared Vietnam’s initiatives on aregional digital platform, a cross-ASEAN mobile network, an ASEAN technologyuniversity and a regional disaster alert system.

During his speech, the Vietnamese leader calledthe recent developments in the East Sea a grave concern for countries in theregion as unilateral moves could lead to heightened risk of confrontation.

He emphasised the principles agreed upon byASEAN, which involve respecting international law, especially the 1982 UnitedNations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the peaceful settlementof disputes, exercising self-restraint, not using or threatening to use force,not militarising or complicating the situation, enhancing the building oftrust, developing an effective and substantive code of conduct (COC), and fullyand seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC). 

PM Phuc also voiced his support for ASEANplaying an active role in helping Myanmar address humanitarian issues inRakhine State, as well as for efforts to promote peace, stability anddenuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula.

At the session, PM Lee Hsien Loong pointed outimportant issues that ASEAN need to focus on: building a peaceful, stable andrule-based region, sustaining the economic dynamism of ASEAN, and strengtheningthe bloc’s capacity to effectively ensure regional security and stability.

He noted that ASEAN has been making progress indialogue and cooperation to address those issues.

Lee also highlighted the strides in the talks onthe COC between ASEAN and China. However, he also said the East Sea situationremains complex, urging unanimity in the bloc’s common stance and adherence tothe agreed principles in bolstering trust and preventing risks of instability.

Other regional leaders shared the view thatunder Singapore’s chairmanship tagline of “Resilient and Innovative” in 2018,the bloc has continued to firmly hold its central role and improve ASEAN-leddialogue and cooperation mechanisms, thus contributing to regional peace andstability and attaining positive outcomes in building the ASEAN Community.

They also noted the challenges posed by bothcomplex global and regional changes and issues within the bloc itself.

They reiterated the foremost requirement forASEAN’s unity and centrality, along with an open, transparent and rule-basedcooperation architecture in the region with ASEAN at the centre.

Member countries agreed that ASEAN needs to makeefforts to facilitate dialogue, cooperation and trust building, includingfruitful negotiations on the COC, peaceful settlement of disputes on the basisof international and the 1982 UNCLOS, and full and effective implementation ofthe DOC.

They also promised continued support for Myanmarto seek long-term and sustainable solutions to humanitarian issues in RakhineState, while applauding the recent progress in the Korean Peninsula andexpressing support for efforts to promote peace, stability and denuclearisationin this peninsula.

At the end of the meeting, ASEAN leaders pledgedtheir support for Thailand, who will hold the grouping’s chairmanship for2019.-VNA