Vientiane (VNA) – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, attended the ASEAN-US, ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers’ Meetings, East Asia Summit (EAS) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Vientiane, Laos, on July 27, within the framework of the 5ꦚ7th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-57).

Speaking at the meetings, Viet welcomed the continued effectiveness and achievements of ASEAN-led mechanisms such as ASEAN 1, ASEAN 3, EAS and ARF. Amid the complex and uncertain global landscape, he suggested countries continue supporting ASEAN's central role, work together with ASEAN in addressing common challenges, promoting dialogue, cooperation and trust while building an open, transparent, inclusive, and rule-based regional architecture. Regarding specific cooperation areas, he proposed further facilitating investment and trade, effectively tapping free trade agreements (FTAs) and other regional trade agreements, maintaining resilient and sustainable supply chains, and prioritising enhanced connectivity, digital transformation, energy transition, green growth, climate change response, development gap narrowing, and sub-regional cooperation. Reaffirming Vietnam's consistent position, the Deputy Minister urged partners to support and respect ASEAN's stance on the East Sea issue and its efforts to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development. He highlighted the need to creative an environment conducive to effective and practical negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while also continuing to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). Concluding meetings, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers adopted a Joint Communiqué of the AMM-57, which consists of 165 paragraphs fully reflecting the discussions on the progress of building the ASEAN Community, ASEAN cooperation across the three community pillars, ASEAN's external relations, global and regional issues. The Lao Chair also issued the Chairman's Statement for the ASEAN 1, ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers’ Meetings, EAS and ARF./.