53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting opened in Hanoi

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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also the ASEAN Chair in 2020, attended and delivered an opening speech. The event was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh and joined by ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, foreign ministers from ASEAN nations, Ambassadors and representatives from international organisations in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers his remarks at the event.

In his welcoming remarks, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted the development of ASEAN, which has become the world’s fifth largest economy, and its central role in dialogues, cooperation for peace, security and prosperity in the region. These achievements have been attested amid unprecedented changes and challenges, particularly in the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Cohesive and responsive is not merely the theme of ASEAN 2020. Cohesive and responsive, along with proactive and responsible, have become a brand of ASEAN, which enabled us to stand hand-in-hand in the face of immense challenges and keep forging ahead", Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc noted.

Prime Minister Phuc praised the ASEAN’s efforts to help businesses resume their operation and regional people stablise their lives. The initiatives, such as The COVID-19 response fund, the ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies have helped the bloc fight against the COVID-19 pandemic while connecting the member nations.

The Prime Minister quested ASEAN foreign ministers give priority to successfully implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025; preventing and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic while promoting sustainable recovery.

"We need to capitalise on ASEAN centrality in advancing dialogue, cooperation and confidence building in the region. On that basis, we shall formulate and share norms of conduct, uphold the rule of law, mutual trust, mutual respect and equality in the relations between and among countries in the region, settle peacefully all disputes and differences on the basis of international law, including UNCLOS 1982 and ASEAN’s instruments on norms of conducts in the region", the Prime Minister added.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh chairs the meeting.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh spoke highly of the ASEAN bloc which is dynamic in action, flexible in response and creative in cooperation.

He praised the ASEAN Community, saying that with the spirit of “From vision to action”, ASEAN Community has gradually taken shape, laying the significant foundation for the ASEAN Community building process.

"Entering its 6th decade, ASEAN is now speeding up its Community building while maximizing its role and status in the region and actively contributing to the joint efforts for peace, stability and development of the international community", Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh said.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh expressed his hope that in the framework of the AMM-53 and related meetings, participants will discuss specific measures to effectively implement the instructions of the ASEAN Leaders at the 36th ASEAN Summit, thus furthering regional cooperation and overcoming challenges while successfully implementing set goals and mapping out the way forward.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the event.

“We are resolved to overcome difficulties, effectively and timely achieve the targets in the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, ensure full implementation of all provisions and procedures in the ASEAN Charter, and to continue proving operational effectiveness of ASEAN’s sectoral bodies and other ASEAN-led dialogue and cooperation mechanism," he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister also stressed that ASEAN will continue making active contributions and promoting its role in efforts to sustain international peace and security.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, challenges to the regional security and stability are always present, including factors threatening peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the South China Sea, a critical sea lane of communication of the region and the world. 

"ASEAN will persistently hold onto its principled position, emphasizing self-restraints, peaceful settlement of all disputes on the basis of international law, including 1982 UNCLOS, promoting dialogues, strengthening confidence building, non-militarization and refrain from further complicating the situation. ASEAN will persistently promote the full and serious implementation of the DOC and will endeavor to formulate an effective, substantive COC in conformity with international law and 1982 UNCLOS", he emphasized.