ASEAN, New Zealand seek boosted cooperation
ASEAN and New Zealand sought measures to step up their cooperation at the fourth meeting of their Joint Cooperation Committee which took place at the headquarters of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia on June 3.
The meeting also reviewed the ASEAN-New Zealand Action Plan for 2016-2020 and their strategies on prosperity and peoples.
In the coming time, the two sides agreed to pay heed to jointly promoting peace and stability in the region and accelerating cooperation in agriculture, English language teaching, vocational training, food security, climate change response and narrowing the development gap.
New Zealand’s Ambassador at ASEAN asserted that his country treasures cooperation with ASEAN, supports the bloc’s central role in the region, cooperates in narrowing the development gap, and actively participates in the grouping-led mechanisms for peace, stability and security in the region.
Representatives from ASEAN member states appreciated New Zealand’s participation in ASEAN-led mechanisms, while stressing the need for both sides to design specific measures to actualize their cooperation across politics, security, economic, culture and social affairs.
Representing Vietnam, Ambassador Nguyen Hoanh Nam suggested that New Zealand continue contributing to peace and stability in the region through promoting maritime and over-flight security and safety in the East Sea and supporting ASEAN’s efforts to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early compilation of a code of conduct (COC).
The fifth ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Cooperation Committee meeting will be held in 2017.
