Deputy FM attends 21st EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting

VGP – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung proposed measures to boost effective and practical cooperation between ASEAN and the EU in spheres of climate change adaption, anti-terrorism, prevention of trans-national crimes and cyber security, border management, prevention of illegal fishing and sustainable development.

January 22, 2019 4:39 PM GMT+7

The Deputy Minister made that statement at the 21^st EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting on January 21 in Brussels, Belgium.

Regarding international and regional issues, Mr. Dung re-affirmed ASEAN’s standpoints on the East Sea issue, sharing developments in establishing a code of conduct (COC) in the East Sea between ASEAN and China and supporting the EU to make active participation in efforts of ASEAN in maintaining peace, security and sustainability in the region.

On the sidelines of the event, Deputy Minister Dung held bilateral meetings with representatives of Belgium, Romania, Greece, Hungary and officials from the Council of the EU and the European Commission to boost the signing and approval of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (IPA).

They also exchanged issues in the bilateral relationship.

The EU was the second largest trade partner of ASEAN with the two-way trade value of US$261 billion in 2017, up 11.9% against in 2016.

The EU poured US$25.4 billion in Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN, accounting for 18.6%, ranking first among investors in 2017.

By Thuy Dung