Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung affirmed that Viet Nam highly values ASEAN-Australia strategic partnership during the 30^th ASEAN – Australia Forum held in Canberra, Australia from May 22-23.

Illustrative image (Source: Internet)

Speaking highly of the important results of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, Dung underscored the importance of connectivity within ASEAN, and between ASEAN and broader regions, as well as the significance of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)’s strategy to ASEAN development.

Australia affirmed ASEAN’s importance in its external policy and supported the bloc’s central role in shaping an open, transparent and rules-based regional architecture. The country wished to continue stepping up economic connectivity and openness in the region.

Amid rapid and unpredictable developments in the region, Australian officials said ASEAN plays an important role as a strategic organiser in forums and mechanisms for the sake of regional peace, security and stability.

The Pacific nation vowed to continue effective engagement in and active contributions to mechanisms such as the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus. It expressed support to ASEAN’s 2018 theme of facilitating self-resilience and innovation, including building smart cities.

Both sides discussed issues related to the Korean Peninsula, the East Sea and Rakhine state in Myanmar and other trans-national security challenges.

On future orientations, they agreed to foster coordination across the pillars of politics-security, economy-trade-investment, socio-culture and people-to-people exchange.

In the near future, they will specify initiatives such as ASEAN-Australia infrastructure and GMS development, maritime cooperation, business connectivity via the ASEAN-Australia Chamber of Commerce and the ASEAN-Australia Business Council.

They will also hold seminars on women and youths’ role in security and development, offer 50 scholarships to ASEAN students in 2019, realise cultural diplomacy initiative 2019, conduct sport exchanges and soon conclude negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)