Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung affirmed that enhancing cooperation to push back COVID-19 and promote comprehensive recovery remains the top priority, while addressing the East Asia Summit (EAS) Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of 10 ASEAN countries and the EAS partners  – China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the US, India, Australia, and New Zealand. 

Addressing the event, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung asked the countries to continue highly prioritising coordination to help mitigate COVID-19 impacts, protect people’s health, and recover the regional economy while assisting efforts to narrow the development gap and ensure even and sustainable development in the region, especially the Mekong sub-region.

He reiterated ASEAN’s viewpoint on the East Sea issue, urging the parties concerned to enhance efforts to boost dialogue and cooperation, build trust, effectively deal with emerging issues, improve their sense of responsibility, and uphold the rules-based approach in countries’ relations.

He also called on them to fully abide by the DOC, and exert efforts to overcome pandemic-caused difficulties to soon finalise an efficient and effective COC that accords with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, thereby helping to maintain peace, security, and stability in the East Sea and the region.

Source: VOV5