Vietnam represented at ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Vientiane

At the meeting, the Vietnamese diplomat hailed the progress in relations between ASEAN and its partners, underlining the need for coordination to further deepen existing cooperation areas.

He emphasized economic, trade and investment cooperation should be a pillar and motivation to develop the relations practically, adding that it is necessary to promote economic connectivity, and effectively utilise free trade agreements between ASEAN and its partners.

Viet, who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, called on nations to boost closer coordination to effectively take advantage of new trends and growth drivers, and enhance cooperation in new fields such as science and technology application, innovation, digital and green transition, and energy transformation, towards sustainable development.

The Vietnamese diplomat suggested that ASEAN and its partners should continue to promote dialogue, consultation, and trust building, and join efforts in responding to common challenges through ASEAN-led mechanisms, thus contributing to shaping an open, transparent, inclusive regional structure that upholds international law, with ASEAN playing a central role.

Viet expected partners to continue to support ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea, as well as ASEAN's efforts to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, security, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

At the event, representatives from ASEAN member states and the bloc's partner countries laid stress on their commitments to effectively implementing existing economic and trade agreements, and agreed to finalize negotiations on the establishment, upgrading and review of FTAs with partners such as China, the Republic of Korea, India and Canada as planned.

They affirmed their determination to continue expanding cooperation in new and potential areas such as digital economy, digital transformation, green transition, smart agriculture, energy transformation, and climate change response, contributing to promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development.

ASEAN's partners proposed many cooperation initiatives of common interest such as strengthening ASEAN-China people-to-people exchanges; and realizing the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Connectivity Initiative, the ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future, a key initiative on digital innovation and the ASEAN - RoK Methane Reduction Action Partnership, the EU-ASEAN Green Initiative and the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE).

Regarding regional and international issues such as the East Sea, Myanmar, the Korean Peninsula, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Middle East in the spirit of frank and practical dialogue, delegates from ASEAN and its partners underscored the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, and stability, and creating a favorable environment for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

The foreign ministers adopted numerous documents such as the ASEAN-Australia Plan of Action for the 2025-2029 period; the ASEAN-UK Joint Statement on Strengthening Connectivity, the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Strengthening Humanitarian Mine Action Cooperation; and the Joint Statement of ASEAN and Russia Foreign Ministers Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Russia’s Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

Within the framework of the ASEAN+1 meetings with Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), the European Union (EU), India, New Zealand, Russian Federation and the UK, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Foreign Minister of the RoK Cho Tae Yul co-chaired the ASEAN-Korea Foreign Ministers' Meeting, during which the Vietnamese official affirmed that the RoK is one of ASEAN's most important partners.

He greatly valued the RoK's commitment to promoting a stronger partnership with the bloc and welcomed the RoK's proposal to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN.

The RoK official used the occasion to extend his deepest condolences to the Vietnamese delegation over the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

He applauded the progress in connectivity cooperation between ASEAN and the RoK in terms of infrastructure, institutions and people-to-people exchanges, saying that these contributed to creating a solid foundation for the bilateral relationship to continue developing dynamically and positively in the coming time.

The RoK and other ASEAN member states thanked and praised Vietnam's efforts and important contributions in its role as coordinator of the ASEAN-RoK relations over the past three years, which offers favourable conditions for efforts to elevate the bilateral relationship in the years to come.

On July 27, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and partners will attend the ASEAN-US Meeting and meetings within the frameworks of ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).