Singapore (VNA) – The ASEAN Senior Officials’Meeting (SOM) Retreat took place in Singapore on January 12, discussingpriorities for 2018 and the preparation for some of the grouping’s majoractivities in the time ahead.

This was also the bloc’s first meeting in 2018when Singapore holds the ASEAN Chair.

Participants welcomed the Singapore-proposedtheme of building a resilient and innovative ASEAN this year, which illustratesthe member countries’ resolve to stand firm in front of challenges, enhancecooperation, and together grasp opportunities to develop.

The ASEAN countries agreed to continuemaintaining the bloc’s solidarity and central role, build law order, ensurepeace and security, and promote cooperation to cope with such challenges asterrorism, natural disasters and climate change. They agreed to make use ofopportunities brought about by scientific-technological development to growmore rapidly through initiatives relating to e-commerce, smart city, andcooperation in aviation, tourism and youth.

The meeting looked into preparations for thesummit commemorating ASEAN-India relations in New Delhi on January 24-25, theASEAN-Australia special summit in Sydney on March 17-18, the 15th anniversaryof the ASEAN-China strategic partnership and the ASEAN-China Year of Innovationthis year.

Officials also scrutinised the full andeffective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC) and the building of a code of conduct in the waters.

Facing developments in the international andregional situation, the member countries shared the view that ASEAN need tokeep solidarity and unanimity and consolidate existing mechanisms and forums soas to continue connecting the countries in dialogue and contribute to regionalpeace, security and development.

Addressing the event, Deputy Foreign MinisterNguyen Quoc Dung, head of Vietnam’s ASEAN SOM delegation, said to have aresilient and innovative ASEAN, the grouping needs to continue respecting thebasic principles in order to maintain its solidarity and central role, bringinto play its key role in resolving regional issues, and improve the capacityof dealing with challenges.

To build an innovative ASEAN, the member nationsshould also gear up to grasp technology and promote innovative development, headded.

Regarding swift changes in the international andregional situation, Deputy Minister Dung asked ASEAN to keep close consultationand enhance the role and value of regional mechanisms and forums launched andled by ASEAN, thereby maintaining a framework for all partners to continueengaging in and contributing to peace, stability and common development.

On this occasion, he announced that Vietnam willhost the 23rd meeting of the ASEAN-China working group on the DOCimplementation on March 1 and 2.

Later on January 12, officials participated in aceremony launching the ASEAN Year 2018 under the chair of Singapore.-VNA