VN, Myanmar look to establish defense policy dialogue mechanism in 2019

Deputy PM Minh and Minister U Kyaw Tin sign the minutes of the meeting and agreed to hold the 10th session of the joint committee on bilateral cooperation in Myanmar in 2021

The meeting was chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Myanmar’s Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin.

The two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation across fields since the 8^th meeting in May 2015, highly valuing the efforts made by their ministries, sectors, localities and businesses to implement many effective and practical cooperation programs, contributing to extensively develop the comprehensive cooperative partnership between Viet Nam and Myanmar.

They agreed that political trust between the two countries has been strengthened through the regular exchange of high-level visits and meetings, pledging to further enhance bilateral cooperation across the Party, government, State and parliamentary channels, as well as between their localities.

Both sides expressed their pleasure at the groundbreaking developments in bilateral economic, trade and investment ties, with Viet Nam currently being the 9^th largest trade partner of Myanmar.

They agreed to maintain and promote peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea and respect international law; resolve disputes via peaceful means, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea; and soon finalize an effective and pragmatic Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Photo: VGP

The two sides also exchanged views and agreed to continue their mutual coordination and support at regional and international fora, especially within the framework of ASEAN and the United Nations, as well as sub-regional cooperation frameworks such as ACMECS, CLMV, GMS, and EWEC, among others.

Deputy PM Minh asked Myanmar to consider shortening time required to approve investment licenses and dossiers for Vietnamese enterprises. The Myanmar side recognized the proposal and pledged to consider addressing many specific concerns of Vietnamese firms.

Minister U Kyaw Tin affirmed his support for Viet Nam in its role as the ASEAN Chair 2020, aiming to promote the process of building the ASEAN Community, consolidating solidarity, and enhancing ASEAN’s voice and role in the currently shaping regional structure. He also reiterated Myanmar’s support of Viet Nam’s candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

After the session, Deputy PM, FM Minh and Minister U Kyaw Tin signed the minutes of the session and agreed that the nexth session will be held in Myanmar in 2021./.

By Vien Nhu