The ASEAN-United States Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHNOM PENH — The Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn joined his ASEAN counterparts in meetings with the US, India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the EU, and Russia on Thursday within the framework of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-55) and related meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The sides spent time reviewing cooperation, agreeing on future direction, and exchanging views on regional and international issues.

ASEAN proposed its partners maximise advantages brought by strategic and comprehensive partnerships, cooperate in community building, and work for peace, stability, and prosperity.

The countries suggested extensive cooperation measures to assist ASEAN in building its community, accelerating recovery, and moving towards sustainable development.

The measures included trade, regional connectivity, digital transformation, climate change response, green growth, health, maritime security, and anti-terrorism.  

Sơn and ASEAN foreign ministers (FMs) affirmed a stance on the South China Sea, Myanmar, Ukraine, the Korean Peninsula, and tensions between major countries.

ASEAN reaffirmed its stance and called on all parties to uphold international law, the Charter of the United Nations, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

They said that countries and parties need to maintain dialogue, build trust, aim for peace, respect the rule of law, exercise restraint, and prevent disagreements from becoming conflicts.

ASEAN informed partners about its five-point consensus on Myanmar, and building a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to ensure an area of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

During meetings with foreign ministers of other countries on the sidelines, Sơn discussed cooperation between Việt Nam and respective nations.

The ministers appreciated Việt Nam's role in the region and affirmed their desire to expand cooperation with the country.

They proposed several measures such as delegation exchange, strengthening economic - trade relations, and restoring people-to-people interactions.

They emphasised several areas for joint work such as finance, green economy, circular economy, climate change response, and support for small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn (left) held talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the 55th AMM in Phnom Penh. — VNA/VNS Photo

In their meeting, Sơn and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi affirmed the importance of consolidating the Việt Nam-China traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation.

They agreed to strengthen all-rounded collaboration and political trust, including high-level exchanges and interactions, remove obstacles in trade and response to epidemics, connect roads and railways, and promote people-to-people business.

The Vietnamese FM affirmed that Việt Nam persistently follows the One China Policy and, together with ASEAN member nations, calls on relevant parties to exercise restraint, avoid complications and escalating tensions, and properly handle disagreements for peace and stability.

Meeting with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Sơn proposed cooperation in the Mekong Subregion. They agreed to prioritise sustainable management of water resources, climate change response, and cooperation between the Mekong River Commission and the National Ganga River Basin Authority.

Sơn and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell appreciated the results achieved during the implementation of the EU-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement.

The Vietnamese minister hoped that the EU and its members would soon ratify the EU-Việt Nam Investment Protection Agreement, remove the yellow card against Vietnamese seafood, and establish a Just Energy Transition Partnership with Việt Nam.

Sơn and his Bangladeshi counterpart A.K Abdul Moment agreed to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of diplomatic relation next year, bring two-way trade turnover to US$2 billion, and strengthen collaboration in agriculture, tourism, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.

The Vietnamese official suggested the two sides soon organise the 3rd Joint Trade Subcommittee and the 2nd Political Consultation. He also proposed Bangladesh support Việt Nam's candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2023-25.

Meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Bilawai Bhutto Zardari, Sơn agreed on the need to carry out signed agreements and hold a political consultation and meetings of the inter-governmental committee and trade sub-committee.

He suggested Pakistan consider lifting import restrictions on Vietnamese aquatic products and mobile phones. The two ministers agreed to organise cultural events on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relation.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers also issued a statement on developments in the Taiwan Strait, expressing their concerns about the risk of instability and severe and unpredictable consequences for the region.

The statement called for restraint and adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and the TAC.

The ASEAN countries reaffirmed their support for the One China Policy. They also heightened the importance of cooperation, peaceful coexistence and healthy competition for peace, security, stability, and inclusive and sustainable development. — VNS