Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam attended summits between ASEAN and its dialogue countries, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and India, in Cebu, the Philippines on January 14.

At the ASEAN+1 Summits, the leaders of ASEAN and dialogue countries unanimously agreed to push the implementation of cooperation plans within the framework of comprehensive or strategic partnership agreed upon by ASEAN and each dialogue country, for peace, stability and development in the region and the whole world at large.

Dialogue countries were also committed to continuing their support for ASEAN's efforts in narrowing the development gap, linking the region and building the Community. In addition, they confirmed their support for ASEAN's key role in the regional cooperation mechanism and desire to continue coordinating their stance on regional and international matters with ASEAN.

At the summits, the leaders of dialogue countries congratulated Vietnam on its official membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Leaders of ASEAN and China confirmed their determination to effectively carry out the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (East Sea) (DOC) in order to early sign the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) for peace and stability in the region. They agreed to push up measures to develop an ASEAN-China comprehensive free trade area.

The leaders witnessed the signing of the agreement on Trade in Services of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the Plan of Action to implement the Beijing declaration on ASEAN-China Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cooperation Partnership for Common Development, and the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and China on Agriculture Cooperation.

As for further cooperation with Japan, ASEAN and Japan’s leaders agreed to further promote the achievements of ASEAN-Japan comprehensive ties over the years. They both agreed to set up an ASEAN-Japan Eminent Persons Group (EPG) which will be designed to review the ASEAN-Japan relationship that has been running well for the last 30 years and to study and raise proposals conducive to its further enhancement.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe suggested further development of the ASEAN-Japan relations based on five main pillars of economics, politics and security, culture and people-to-people relations, promotion of common interests, and cooperation for building a common East Asia community.

PM Abe pledged that Japan would contribute US$52 million to promoting the ASEAN-Japan economic cooperation and would disburse 35 billion Yen in five years time for the ASEAN-Japan Youth Exchange Programme and other youth training projects for ASEAN member countries.

Japan would also provide US$40 million in aid to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, half of which would be used for the Development Triangle that groups Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Leaders of ASEAN and the Republic of Korea (RoK) welcomed the results of the execution of the Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN-RoK Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership. They pledged to speed up negotiations to build the ASEAN-RoK Free Trade Area according to the set roadmap.

The ASEAN leaders appreciated the RoK's role as one of the five largest donors for ASEAN's development as well as its active support for efforts to build the community and narrow the development gap among ASEAN.

The ASEAN member countries expressed their support for endeavours for peace and denuclearisation goals on the Korean peninsula and for the acceleration of inter-Korean dialogues towards the reunification of two Korean regions.

Leaders of ASEAN and India affirmed their determination to bring the ASEAN-India partnership to a new height for more practical and effective results. Accordingly, the Leaders pledged to accelerate and complete negotiations on the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area on schedule.

The leaders also emphasised the importance of the development of infrastructure facilities for road and aviation transport services, noting that cooperative ties between India and ASEAN should be expanded to areas in which India has many advantages such as science-technology, particularly information technology and pharmaceuticals.

The leaders stressed that ASEAN and India should boost tourism development by organising promotion activities in both ASEAN and India, as well as bilateral cooperation in mitigating natural disasters by establishing a warning mechanism in the region.

The ASEAN leaders applauded India's East-oriented Policy and appreciated its increasing political and the economic position in the region and the world.

The same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had a separate meeting with his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh During their meeting, Mr Dung and Mr Singh expressed elation at the new developments of the time-honoured friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and India. They spoke highly of both sides’ recent activities marking the 35^th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level and hoped that more practical activities will be held this year to mark the event.

Mr Dung thanked the Government and people of India for their heart-felt support to the Vietnamese people during the past struggle for national independence and reunification and current national construction. He highly valued the close coordination between the two countries at international organisations and forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The Indian PM expressed his wish that India wants to develop all-round cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in economics, trade and investment in line with their political ties. He invited Mr Dung to visit India and attend the opening ceremony of the Vietnamese Days festival to be held in New Delhi this year.     

The two PMs agreed that the 13^th session of the Vietnam-India Inter-governmental Committee for Joint Cooperation will be held in India in the first quarter of this year to renew measures of cooperation in such areas as economics, trade, investment, science and technology, culture and education.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese Government leader also attended the 10^th meeting between ASEAN and China, the Republic of Korea and Japan (ASEAN+3).