Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit in Brussels: European Council President Charles Michel (left) and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen (right) welcome Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. (Source: VNA)

In his remarks, the Prime Minister stressed the significance of the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit, and stated that cooperation achievements have created a foundation and an impulse for the relationship.

He suggested the two sides consistently pursue the set targets, renew their mindset and take actions to promote their strategic partnership in a balanced, fair fashion, with harmonious interests and shared risks.

Vietnam always supports EU firms, the Prime Minister said, calling on the EU to remove the “yellow card” on Vietnamese fisheries and soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agency (EVIPA).

Prime Minister Chinh emphasised that global issues need global approaches, and reiterated Vietnam’s strong commitments to climate change, and green, sustainable development.

He also called for the EU’s maximum support in finance and technology within the framework of the Just Energy Transition Partnership, its sharing of information and experience in green, clean technology, its cooperation in innovation, digital transformation, green economy and digital economy, and its collaboration with ASEAN in sub-regional and Mekong development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit in Brussels. (Photo: VNA)

The Prime Minister proposed ASEAN and the EU take peace as the purpose; dialogue and cooperation as the tools; and respect to law, the UN Charter and common values.

Affirming ASEAN’s stance on the East Sea issue, he urged the two sides to work together to build the sea into waters of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development.

Prime Minister Chinh also noted his concern over the conflict in Ukraine, stressing the need to respect legal and legitimate rights and interests, and concern of parties, with top priorities given to ending the conflict, and protecting essential infrastructure, and life and property of civilians.

He also affirmed ASEAN’s common view on peacefully addressing conflicts and disagreements on the basis of respect for international law, the UN Charter, and independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries.

Over the past 45 years, the ASEAN-EU has been developing fruitfully. Last year, the 10-member grouping was the third largest trade partner of the EU outside Europe. Meanwhile, the EU was ASEAN’s third biggest trade partner with two-way trade reaching 268.9 billion USD. The EU was also the second biggest foreign investor of ASEAN with a total capital of 26.5 billion USD.

At the Summit, the two sides agreed to deepen the strategic partnership, established in 2020, on the basis of international law, and equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote recovery and green, sustainable development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other leaders to the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit in a group photo. (Photo: VNA)

The leaders pledged to pay more attention to enhancing economic and trade ties, and stabilising the supply chain, while keeping the target of establishing a free trade agreement between ASEAN and the EU.

The two sides will also step up connectivity through the implementation of the 2020 EU-ASEAN Joint Ministerial Statement on Connectivity and the EU-ASEAN Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, and work to narrow their development gaps.

They will cooperate in climate change response, digital transformation, energy transition, natural disaster management, environmental protection, bio-diversity, and the fight against illegal fishing.

The EU announced an investment package worth 10 billion EUR (10.6 billion USD) under its Global Gateway strategy in ASEAN, the launch of the Sustainable Connectivity Team Europe Initiative, and the implementation of a programme on environmental protection worth 30 million EUR.

The two sides consented to boost multilateral cooperation, share common values and interests, promote international law, and address regional and global challenges, thus significantly contributing to peace, security, stability and sustainable development.

They stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, supporting dialogue and trust building, exercising self-restraint, not taking actions that would escalate tensions, and settling disputes by peaceful measures, in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They called for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and the building of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS.

Regarding other regional and global issues, the leaders shared the view that differences and disagreements should be resolved peacefully.

The Summit adopted a joint statement reviewing the achievements recorded over the past 45 years, and putting forth future orientations.

Later the same day, Prime Minister Chinh and other leaders attended a banquet on the occasion of the Summit.