The tenth meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and the ambassadors of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 17.

Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of the Vietnamese mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attended the event. 

The delegates took note of progress in cooperation between ASEAN and the three partner countries (ASEAN+3) across spheres, ranging from politics-security to economy, culture-society, regional integration and narrowing development gap over the past time. 

Working plans within ASEAN+3 have brought about pragmatic benefits to people in the ten-member group and regional countries, they said. 

A total of 21 action plans have been adopted by competent agencies of ASEAN members and the partner countries in order to realise 18 out of 21 recommendations of the East Asia Vision Group II.

Besides, 223 cooperation activities within the ASEAN+3 Cooperation Work Plan have been realised, up 60 activities from October 2018, while 16 projects worth about 1.5 million USD within the ASEAN+3 Cooperation Fund are being carried out at different levels. 

The countries stressed the significance of ASEAN+3 cooperation to the development, dynamism and prosperity in East Asia. 

China, Japan and the RoK committed to continuing to prioritise resources to ASEAN, helping the group build the ASEAN Community, successfully implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and narrow the development gap by materialising the Initiative for ASEAN Integration and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2015.

Priorities will also be given to realising initiatives of infrastructure connectivity, joining the ASEAN Smart Cities Network initiative, completing negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement in 2019, developing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, enhancing cooperation in finance and sustainable development, and enhancing collaboration in education, health care, environment, food and energy security.

ASEAN brings together ten countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.