Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Lê Hải Bình made the statement in Hà Nội yesterday in reply to the Vietnam News Agency’s queries about the significance and outcomes of the meeting. — Photo thoibao.today

HÀ NỘI — The special meeting of ASEAN and Chinese foreign ministers has achieved positive results in a friendly and constructive spirit, contributing to strengthening mutual trust, promoting co-operation and efforts to deal with common challenges. 
Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Lê Hải Bình made the statement in Hà Nội yesterday in reply to the Vietnam News Agency’s queries about the significance and outcomes of the meeting. 
The meeting stemmed from ASEAN’s need to discuss the East Sea issue and bilateral ties with China, laying groundwork for preparations for the High-Level Summit celebrating the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China ties, which is slated for this September in Laos. 
Both sides agreed on orientations and measures to deepen the ASEAN-China strategic partnership, particularly in the fields of economy, trade, investment, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchange. 
They underscored the importance of celebrations for the 25th anniversary and agreed on preparations for the High-Level Summit during which a joint statement for the summit and another ASEAN-China joint statement on co-operation in enhanced manufacturing capacity are expected to be adopted. 
On the East Sea issue, both sides discussed the latest developments and solutions. The ASEAN member states expressed concern over the complicated recent developments, which have exacerbated tensions and eroded trust. If improperly settled, such developments would trigger incidents affecting peace, stability and security in the region. 
The bloc affirmed its common stance, stressing the significance of maintaining peace, stability, and maritime and overflight aviation security and safety in the East Sea, peacefully settling disputes in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, fully respecting legal and diplomatic processes and refraining from threatening to use force, showing self-restraint, and the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). 
The two sides committed to completing preparations for ASEAN and Chinese diplomatic officials to promptly launch a hotline regrading incidents at sea and to issue the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Implementation of the Code for Unplanned Encounters in the East Sea at the High-Level Summit, he said. — VNS