The East Asia Summit was held via videoconference on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính attended the 16th East Asia Summit (EAS) held late Wednesday, which gathered leaders of 10 ASEAN member states and their partners, including China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, India, Russia and the US, and the ASEAN Secretary General.

The Vietnamese Government leader stressed the need for EAS countries to continue enhancing their strategic role in promoting transparent behaviour and frank dialogue, building trust, harmonising differences and increasing the sharing of responsibility in order to contribute to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, and win-win cooperation in the region and the world.

He suggested countries work together in managing changes in an appropriate and effective way; promote multilateral cooperation, policy harmonisation, and action coordination to effectively respond to emerging challenges, prevent the risk of instability and boost sustainable socio-economic development and recovery, especially after the pandemic.

He also proposed EAS partners step up cooperation to improve health capacity, facilitate full and timely access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatment drugs, build a mechanism to share information and experience, and improve early warning capacity. He affirmed his support for international commitments on health measures to combat the pandemic.

PM Chính called on ASEAN and its partners to cooperate in increasing opportunities to access each other’s markets; boosting exports, digital and green technology transfer, and high-quality human resources training; promoting equitable, sustainable and inclusive recovery in the region in association with climate change adaptation, green development, digital transformation, circular and inclusive economy.

He also called on the countries to uphold the sense of responsibility and behave in accordance with their commitments; respect each other; promote multilateral cooperation and respect for the rule of law; maintain healthy international relations; avoid affecting peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region; and ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea.

The nations should exercise self-restraint, avoid unilateral actions that may complicate the situation, and resolve disputes by peaceful means through dialogue and based on international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), Chính stressed, calling for efforts to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), promote negotiations to build an efficient, effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) that is in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS 1982.

Countries’ leaders at the EAS summit have applauded the outcomes achieved during the implementation of the Manila Plan of Action 2018-22, ordered coordination to build a new action plan for the next period that matches the situation, and pledged to prioritise efforts in response to the pandemic and towards green and sustainable development.

They stressed that the EAS should remain the leading ASEAN-led forum and a platform for leaders to discuss strategic issues of the region.

They agreed to foster multilateral, regional, and international cooperation in resolving emerging challenges, effectively responding to COVID-19, maintaining and promoting economic connectivity and trade-investment links, and restoring and stabilising regional and global supply chains towards comprehensive and sustainable recovery.

Participants shared the view that the EAS should make effective contributions to efforts in guaranteeing regional peace, security, and stability.

The countries emphasised the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, and safety of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea Sea and building the waters into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation. They underlined the need for self-restraint from acts that may escalate tensions or complicate the situation; for no militarisation, use, or threat to use force; and for peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law, including the UNCLOS 1982.

They called on ASEAN and China to fully and effectively implement the DOC, while building an efficient and effective COC that is in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

Concluding the summit, the participating leaders adopted the EAS statements on mental health cooperation, sustainable recovery, and economic growth through tourism recovery. — VNS