Hanoi (VNA) – The 18th dialogue between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Canadatook place virtually on July 13, focusing on sketching out orientations for cooperation between the two sides, discussing regional and internationalissues of mutual concern, and preparing for the ASEAN-Canada Foreign Ministers’Meeting in this August.

At the event, ASEAN membersand Canada agreed to coordinate closely and actively in implementing the ActionPlan for the 2021-2025 period, while promoting collaboration in economic, tradeand investment, maintaining the supply chains and prioritising the launching ofnegotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement in 2021.

Both sides will continuetheir cooperation programmes in education and training and high-quality humanresource developing such as the Canada-ASEAN Scholarshipsand Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) program, while enhancingcooperation in sustainable development and innovation achievement application.

Regarding regional and internationalsituation, participants underlined the significance of maintaining peace,security and stability in the region, especially amid the current difficult circumstances.

Canada supports the ASEAN in promoting itsrole in strengthening cooperation, dialogue and trust-building in the region, upholdinginternational law, building a law-based regional architecture, settlingdisputes through peaceful measures in line with international law, includingthe 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and completing thebuilding of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

On Myanmar issue, Canada welcomed the outcomesof the ASEAN leaders’ meeting on April 24 and backed the role of ASEAN inencouraging dialogue and reconciliation, and assisting Myanmar in seekingsolutions to stabilise the situation.

Representatives of Vietnam underlined that inthe current challenging period, all countries should further strengthencooperation, thus effectively responding to challenges and difficulties broughtabout by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as strategic instabilities, thus promotingsustainable recovery and ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in theregion.

Vietnam re-affirmed the consistent principled stance ofthe ASEAN on the East Sea issue, stressing that ASEAN and Canada should workclosely together to protect a regional environment of peace and stability,uphold international law, strengthen trust, encourage restraint and avoidanceof militarization as well as the settlement of disputes on the foundation ofinternational law, including the UNCLOS 1982.

Vietnam also underlined the importance of the full and effective implementation of the DOC and the building of aneffective and efficient COC./.