Regional leaders adopt Vision for Resilient and Innovative ASEAN

The document covers key principles that will underscore ASEAN’s collective vision and commitment to build a resilent and innovative ASEAN in 2018 and beyond.

Accordingly, ASEAN shall remain united in promoting ASEAN’s vital interests, ideals and aspirations and remain united vis-à-vis external divisive forces.

The block shall promote the rule of law and uphold a rule-based regional order, anchored in respect for international laws and norms.

The regional leaders committed to maintain ASEAN as an area of peace, freedom and security, where differences and disputes are resolved by peaceful means and where maritime cooperation are enhanced in accordance with internationally-accepted treaties and principles, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

ASEAN will keep their markets open and competitive, deepen economic integration towards targets such as doubling of intra ASEAN trade by 2025, forge high quality and mutually beneficial ecoomic agreements with external partners.

According to the Vision, ASEAN will develop guidelines for air and maritime safety for ASEAN militaries, with due regard to the rights and responsibilities of each ASEAN member state, which will serve as practical confidence-building measures to strengthen regional safety and resilience./.

By Hoang Ha