Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamwill continue making positive contributions to developing ASEAN - Japanrelations in a more effective and practical manner, Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh told the 24th ASEAN - Japan Summit held via videoconference onOctober 27.

PM Chinh held that the twosides should coordinate closely with each other in restoring and stabilisingsupply chains disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, create favourable conditionsand provide maximum support for Japanese enterprises and investors to maintainstable production and business in the region and Vietnam.

The PM proposed Japan helpASEAN countries, including Vietnam, to develop strategic infrastructure, boosteven and inclusive development, fuel green growth, conduct digitaltransformation, develop a digital economy, and aid businesses’ recovery in thepost-pandemic period.

He underlined thesignificance of bolstering cooperation, trust building, and response tochallenges so as to sustain peace, security, and stability in the region,including in the East Sea and the Korean Peninsula.

PM Chinh welcomed Japan’ssupport to ASEAN in ensuring stability, security, safety, and freedom ofnavigation and overflight in the East Sea via dialogue, strengthening trust,promoting the relevant parties’ commitments and responsible behaviour,resolving disputes through peaceful measures, and upholding international lawand the 1982 United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS), a framework regulating actions and activitiesat seas and oceans.

Heappreciated countries’ support to and cooperation with Vietnam during 2018 -2021, when it served as the coordinator of ASEAN - Japan relations.

TheVietnamese leader hailed the recent progress in ASEAN - Japan ties amid currentdifficulties, asking both sides to continue promoting their priorities andworking with each other to put the COVID-19 pandemic under control and recovereffectively and sustainably.

He calledfor cooperation to improve the capacity of responding to future public healthemergencies, spoke highly Japan’s vaccine assistance to ASEAN countries,including Vietnam, and pledged efforts to accelerate the establishment andeffective operation of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (AC-PHEED).

At the event, ASEAN leadersand Japanese PM Kishida Fumio applauded recent strides in bilateral relations.Leaders of ASEAN countries appreciated Japan’s assistance to the bloc in the COVID-19fight.

PM Kishida affirmed thatJapan attaches importance to its partnership with ASEAN, and supports thebloc’s centrality in the regional architecture and the ASEAN Communitybuilding. He also pledged to enhance bilateral cooperation.

He noted that Japan willassist the AC-PHEED to operate sustainably, help ASEANnarrow the development gap and develop sub-regions, and invest more resourcesto help the bloc with climate change response, green growth, and sustainabledevelopment.

The JapanesePM invited ASEAN leaders to attend a special summit celebrating the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral ties in Japan in 2023.

With regardto regional and international issues, leaders of ASEAN and Japan emphasised theimportance of dialogue, cooperation, trust building, and respect forinternational law. They agreed to coordinate with each other to guaranteepeace, security, and stability in the region, including security and safety ofnavigation in the East Sea.

Affirming Japan’ssupport for the ASEAN stance on the East Sea, PM Kishida welcomed the bloc’s role inpromoting cooperation, dialogue, and trust building in the region, fullyimplementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC),and building an efficient and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Seathat accords with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

Japan also vowedsupport for ASEAN’s role in boosting dialogue and reconciliation in Myanmar andhelping seek solutions to the situation in the Southeast Asian country./.