Hanoi (VNA) – The Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) and China should utilise their Comprehensive StrategicPartnership, established in late November 2021, to cope with traditional andnon-traditional challenges amid the present complicated situation, AmbassadorVu Ho, acting head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam, has said.

Speaking at the 28th ASEAN-China Senior Officials'Consultation (ACSOC), held online on June 10, Ho suggested the two sidesenhance and deepen their partnership and cooperation in a substantive,effective and mutually beneficial manner, effectively contributing to effortsin fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and boosting recovery towards sustainabledevelopment, for peace, security, stability and prosperous development in theregion and the world.

ASEAN and China should step up dialogues, continueto build trust, promote mutually beneficial and equal cooperation, respect eachother and observe international law, in order to ensure an environment ofpeace, security and stability and facilitate the handling of existing andemerging challenges, the ambassador noted.

ASEAN will continue its close coordination withChina to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC), and strive to build a substantive, effective andefficient Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea in line with international law,including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982UNCLOS), for the East Sea of peace, cooperation and development, he affirmed.

Ho also called on the two sides to effectively fulfilltheir cooperation commitments through the sharing of experience and informationand coordination between law enforcement forces, while working together to spursub-regional development, ensure inclusive growth and equal, sustainabledevelopment.

ASEAN and China upgraded their relationship to theComprehensive Strategic Partnership at a special summit last year. The twosides have remained leading trade partners of each other.

The Chinese side stressed that ASEAN is priority inChina’s foreign policy, adding that China supports the bloc’s centrality in theevolving regional architecture and pledges to help ASEAN builds its community andpromote its role, image and voice in regional and international forums.

The two sides agreed to prioritise coordination inCOVID-19 prevention and control, including the improvement of preventive healthcare and the implementation of China’s aid package of 150 million doses ofvaccines to ASEAN.

The countries will soon reopen their borders,resume economic, trade and investment exchanges, stabilise the supply chain andcreate optimal conditions for businesses to access markets.

They will coordinate to effectively materialise theASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP).

The sides consented to enhance and expand collaborationin innovation and digital transformation to speed up recovery and growth, and paymore heed to cooperation in climate change response, energy transition, andgreen, sustainable development.

ASEAN lauded China’s cooperation proposals inpoverty reduction, personnel development, food security, clean energy andsustainable development.

Regarding regional and international issues ofshared concern, the countries emphasised the significance of peace, securityand stability in the region, considering this a prerequisite for recovery anddevelopment efforts.

They backed efforts to fully and effectivelyimplement the DOC and build a substantive, efficient and effective COC inaccordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

They affirmed support for ASEAN’s role in helpingMyanmar promote dialogues and reconciliation, and seek solutions to stabilisethe situation./.