BALI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc attended the ASEAN Leaders’ Gathering in Bali, Indonesia on Thursday, which took place on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).

The PM welcomed Indonesia’s initiative to host the meeting, while stressing that the event is an opportunity for ASEAN leaders and international organisations to share views and discuss regional and global joint actions and cooperation for promoting inclusive, sustainable, creative growth with a focus on effectively implementing UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

He said the success of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN 2018) recently held in Việt Nam showed that ASEAN has advantages and stands ready to receive and make full use of the outcomes from the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

He suggested the UN, the IMF and the WB coordinate with ASEAN and Việt Nam to accelerate the implementation of outcomes from the WEF ASEAN 2018, especially the business environment harmonisation mechanism, the national incubator connectivity framework, and connectivity on education systems and building of life-long learning systems in ASEAN countries.

For Việt Nam, PM Phúc held that the country is building a constructive Government to serve people and enterprises, while strengthening cooperation and promoting the implementation of plans on ASEAN Community 2025. On this basis, he emphasised the joint implementation of recommendations, especially the five priority groups in the report between ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 UN Agenda on Sustainable Development.

The PM also highly appreciated support and cooperation from the IMF and the WB for ASEAN in building the Community, as well as assistance from ASEAN member countries in sustainable development, macro-economic monitoring, policy consulting, training and technical assistance in different areas.

Facing unpredictable global economic developments, PM Phúc proposed the IMF and the WB cooperate with and give advice to ASEAN countries in building a regional macro-economic risk warning mechanism so as to improve self-reliance capacity and adaptation of the ASEAN economy.

They were also urged to continue to support and closely work with the bloc in infrastructure development, early disaster warning and climate change response, narrowing development gaps, especially in digital, technology research and application, institutional reform and high-quality human resource training in order to grasp opportunities from the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The PM expressed his belief that with existing cooperation and determination of the sides, the 2030 UN Agenda on Sustainable Development and UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030  will be successfully implemented in Southeast Asia and the world.

PM Phúc is scheduled to attend the opening session of the IMF-WB annual meeting as a special guest of the host, and to hold talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo today.

Meeting with Philippine President

The same day, PM Phúc and Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte agreed to soon finalise the Việt Nam-Philippines action plan for 2018-23 in order to facilitate cooperation in the future during their meeting in Bali on the fringes of the ASEAN Leaders’ Gathering and the annual meeting of the IMF and the WB.

The leaders looked into bilateral collaboration in major areas such as national defence, security, economy, trade, education, energy and maritime affiliation.

They consented to coordinating closely with each other to materialise important cooperation mechanisms between the two countries, especially the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation and the Joint Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Cooperation.

Both highlighted the significance of enhancing cooperation in maritime affairs and creating conditions for fishermen of the two countries to operate legally, safely and sustainably.

The leaders also concurred to intensify affiliation within ASEAN and affirmed the importance of maintaining regional peace, stability, freedom of aviation and navigation in the East Sea; as well as settling disputes peacefully on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They reiterated their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early completion of the effective, practical and legally-binding Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). 

PM Phúc spoke highly of the visit to Việt Nam by Vice President of the Philippine Democratic Party-Power of the Nation (PDP-Laban) Alfonso Gaba Cusi in August to sign a document establishing relations with the Communist Party of Việt Nam. The PM noted his belief that cooperation between the two countries via the party channel would contribute to increasing mutual trust and creating opportunities for the two sides to talk further on strategic issues.

President Duterte said the Philippines continues to consider Việt Nam a close friend and wishes to advance the strategic partnership between the two countries. He also suggested that the two sides intensify their exchange of high-level delegations. — VNS