The Vietnamese delegation to the event was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, who stressed the significance of trust building and called on sides to exercise restraint and handle disputes and differences by peaceful measures and in line with international law, the United Nations Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

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Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam

Son and other delegates reiterated ASEAN's principle stance on the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, and called for building the East Sea into a sea of peace, stability and cooperation.

They called for greater efforts to seriously implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and build an effective, efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

The Vietnamese delegation also raised initiatives regarding the ASEAN Community building, post-2025 ASEAN development orientations, sustainable recovery and development, as well as response to traditional and non-traditional security challenges, according to Ambassador Ho.

He noted that this was the first in-person AMM meeting after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, and one of the most important activities of ASEAN in the year with the participation of ASEAN foreign ministers and partners in and outside the region.

It offered an opportunity for the countries to review intra-bloc cooperation as well as collaboration between ASEAN and its partners, and seek orientations for the future, the ambassador continued.

The delegates also exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concerned, thus affirming the role and strategic values of ASEAN-led mechanisms in promoting dialogues and cooperation.

The event closed with the adoption of a joint communique demonstrating the solidarity, unity and responsibility of the ten-member grouping, the ambassador said.

Source: VNA