PM attends opening session of 12th ASEM Summit
VGP – PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is leading a high-level Vietnamese delegation to attend the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit that opened in Brussels, Belgium on October 18 (local time).
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From left to right: President of the European Council Donald Tusk, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. Photo: VGP |
The event has brought together senior leaders of 53 ASEM members, including 21 Asian countries, 30 European nations, the European Union (EU) and the ASEAN Secretariat. Prior to the opening session, President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker co-hosted an official welcome ceremony for the ASEM leaders with solemn rituals.
In his opening remarks, European Council President Donald Tusk praised the achievements the ASEM forum has obtained since its 11th Summit in Ulanbato, Mongolia in 2016, highlighting the ASEM’s role as a leading cooperation and dialogue mechanism between the two continents, taking the lead in promoting multilateral cooperation and rule-based international order, and contributing to the maintenance of peace, security and stability in the region and the world.
Under the theme “Europe and Asia: Global Partners for Global Challenges”, the 12th ASEM Summit, the first summit in the third development decade of the forum, is of great significance, aiming to set out the orientations and visions for ASEM cooperation in the new decade across its three pillars of political dialogue, economic cooperation and cooperation in other fields.
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Photo: VGP |
In the next speeches, the President of Mongolia, the host of the 11th ASEM Summit in 2016, and the Prime Minister of Austria, the EU’s rorating presidency, stressed that amid the rapid and profound changes in the international situation and the situation in the two continents, ASEM should continue promoting its leading role in sustaining economic growth and facilitating connectivity, sustainable and inclusive development, and more effective response to global challenges, thereby affirming the forum’s increasingly important position. The leaders also highlighted the need for concerted efforts to develop the Asia-Europe partnership in a deeper and more effective fashion, while upholding the ASEM’s core values and fundamental principles on equality, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation.
The ASEM leaders were reported on the recommendations of the five activities held en route to the 12th ASEM Summit, by the Presidents of the 10th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (September 27-28), the 12th Asia-Europe People’s Forum (September 29 to October 1), the 11th Asia-Europe Labour Forum (October 16-17), the 16th Asia-Europe Business Forum (October 18), and the third Asia-Europe Foundation Young Leaders Summit (October 15-19. The 12th ASEM Summit will continue on October 19 with three sessions focusing on discussing the economic and financial issues, global challenges, and the emerging international and regional issues.
By Vien Nhu
