Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc receives ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi agreed that ASEAN should strengthen its internal solidarity and boost trade during a meeting in Hà Nội yesterday.
To achieve this, the PM highlighted the need to improve development quality among ASEAN member states, enhance the sharing of information and experience, and increase mutual understanding. 
He expressed his belief that the ASEAN Secretary General played an important role in strengthening connectivity. 
The Government leader informed his guest that Việt Nam was considering the most pragmatic theme for ASEAN Year 2020. Noting that the United Nations has underlined the issue of climate change, he said ASEAN should make climate change a priority. 
Việt Nam sees ASEAN as an important pillar in its foreign policy and is preparing for its role as ASEAN Chair in 2020, he said, adding that the country was gearing towards fostering regional solidarity and connectivity, improving ASEAN’s adaptation capacity and reforming and enhancing the bloc’s operation efficiency.  
The PM hoped the ASEAN Secretary General and Secretariat would help Việt Nam fulfil its role as ASEAN Chair 2020.
He called on the ASEAN Secretary General to get a thorough understanding of the East Sea situation at present and raise his voice in support of maintaining peace, stability, prosperity and ensuring maritime and aviation freedom in the East Sea in line with international law. 
Lim Jock Hoi, for his part, said he strongly believed Việt Nam would successfully play its role as ASEAN Chair next year. 
He said ASEAN was determined to complete the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by the end of this year towards an official signing next year. 
On climate change, he said ASEAN needed to work together for proper solutions. 
The Secretary General pledged to do his best to foster regional solidarity and deal with complicated and sensitive issues.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh also had talks with ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi.
At the meeting, the Vietnamese official spoke highly of the results of working sessions between the ASEAN Secretary General, representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and Vietnamese ministries, sectors and businesses during the visit. 
He asked the ASEAN Secretariat to work with Việt Nam’s relevant agencies while Việt Nam serves as ASEAN Chair next year. — VNS