Vietnam shoulders ASEAN Chairmanship during tough time: Chinese ambassador
Vietnam has shouldered the responsibility of ASEAN Chairmanship during a tough time, and the theme “Cohesive and Responsive” chosen by the country for this year couldn't be more relevant, Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Deng Xijun has said.
He told the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) that facing the rising challenges within and outside the region, from the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis to changing geopolitical landscape, the role of ASEAN chair is more important in upholding ASEAN’s unique inclusive regionalism and in maintaining "ASEAN way" of consensus.
China is committed to work with Vietnam in implementing leaders’ consensus on solidarity against COVID-19 and common welfare of people, he stressed.
With the joint efforts of regional countries, the pandemic in the region is generally under control, Deng said, stressing that East Asia is expected to become the only region with positive economic growth this year.
According to the ambassador, efforts of ASEAN and China will focus on thoroughly defeating the pandemic, promoting regional economic recovery and cooperation on sustainable development, and strengthening the long-term planning of the ASEAN-China cooperation.
He noted that next year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue partnership, to which foreign ministers attach great importance and commit to close collaboration on commemorative activities.
Both sides look forward to concluding the negotiations on the Plan of Action to Implement the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity (2021-2025) as soon as possible, which draws directions for cooperation in the next five years.
The ministers are committed to jointly strengthening the third pillar of cooperation through more exchanges in education, culture, media, youth and more.
The ambassador said the ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting was, on the whole, a full success.
ASEAN and China will strengthen regional anti-pandemic cooperation and step up regional economic recovery. They will also uphold multilateralism and free trade and champion open, inclusive and win-win cooperation.
China will give strong support to ASEAN community building, ASEAN centrality in East Asia cooperation and ASEAN solidarity, while working together with the grouping to ensure peace and development prevail in the region, he pledged.
