Prime Minister attends ASEAN-India Summit and ASEAN-Canada Special Summit

At the conferences, the leaders adopted the Declaration on Enhancing the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Joint Statement on Promoting ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the 21st ASEAN-India Summit. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

According to a special correspondent of the Vietnam News Agency, on October 10, on the occasion of attending the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits in Vientiane, Laos, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit.

At the 21st ASEAN-India Summit, ASEAN leaders appreciated India's commitment to placing ASEAN at the center of its Act East policy as well as in India's Indo- Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), making a positive contribution to the comprehensive development of ASEAN-India relations.

In 2023, two-way trade turnover will reach 100.7 billion USD, and India's FDI investment in ASEAN will reach 5.63 billion USD. The number of Indian tourists to ASEAN in 2023 will reach 4.29 million, a sharp increase compared to 2.39 million in 2022.

On the basis of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two sides agreed to promote people-centered development cooperation, connectivity cooperation, application of science and technology, digital transformation, while expanding cooperation in energy transition, climate change response, blue economy, counter-terrorism and transnational crime, and improving medical capacity.

The two sides also continued to maintain dialogue, enhance cooperation and organize maritime exercises to ensure security.

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that ASEAN and India continue to foster a common foundation in culture, society, and people, and develop increasingly strong and comprehensive bilateral relations.

The 21st ASEAN-India Summit. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that, on the solid common foundation and long-standing ties, ASEAN wishes to join India, a close neighbor, sincere friend and comprehensive trusted partner, in actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, prosperity and sustainable development of each side, in the region and the world.

Emphasizing that the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership needs to share a common long-term vision for a peaceful, cooperative and developed region and world, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested that both sides promote dialogue, cooperation and trust building, resolve disputes by peaceful means, respond to common challenges, shape an open and inclusive regional structure, and uphold international law.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh welcomed, appreciated and supported India's initiatives such as the Solar Energy Alliance, Biofuel Alliance, and Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Alliance, and asked India to support pharmaceutical development.

Proposing to strengthen joint action to develop the relationship dynamically, effectively and substantially, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that ASEAN and India need to promote breakthrough economic-trade-investment cooperation, promote complementary strengths and further open each other's markets.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also proposed expanding cooperation in science, technology and innovation, especially in the fields of core technology, semiconductor chips, digital economy, training of high-quality human resources related to cloud computing, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.

Along with strengthening coordination to contribute to the common efforts to respond to climate change and transition to green, clean and sustainable energy, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his hope that India would continue to cooperate and support the effective implementation of the Mekong-Ganga cooperation framework, contributing to promoting inclusive growth, equitable and sustainable development in the entire region.

At the end of the conference, the leaders adopted the Declaration on Enhancing the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Stability and Prosperity in the Region and the Joint Statement on Promoting Digital Transformation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Promoting Connectivity and Resilience. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

At the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Promoting Connectivity and Resilience, leaders welcomed the positive progress made in ASEAN-Canada relations and cooperation since the two sides upgraded their relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership in 2023.

The implementation of the ASEAN-Canada Action Plan for the period 2021-2025 has reached 94.17%. ASEAN is currently Canada's fourth largest trading partner. In 2023, two-way trade turnover will reach 20.35 billion USD, and total FDI from Canada to ASEAN will reach 3.39 billion USD.

Emphasizing ASEAN's central and important position in Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau affirmed his determination to work with ASEAN to complete negotiations on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement by 2025, bringing practical benefits and prosperity to the people.

At the same time, Canada will continue to effectively implement its cooperation commitments and priorities, such as the CAD 24 million Canada Trade Gateway initiative in Southeast Asia, as well as effectively disburse the CAD 1 million ASEAN-Canada Trust Fund for bilateral cooperation programs and projects.

The leaders of the countries also agreed to continue to coordinate closely, effectively exploit the remaining large space and potential for cooperation, promote development relations worthy of the Strategic Partnership, support businesses, digital transformation, food security, healthcare, education, human resource training, people-to-people exchange, environment, climate change response, disaster management, connectivity, and narrowing the development gap...

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Promoting Connectivity and Resilience. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

ASEAN expects Canada, as the G7 Chair in 2025 and an important member of the G20, to contribute more responsibly to peace, stability and development in the region, including the East Sea, and to support the shaping of a regional structure for peace, stability, cooperation and sustainable development that benefits both sides.

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared the significance of upgrading ASEAN-Canada relations to the level of Strategic Partnership in 2023, opening a new era with opportunities for bilateral relations, and proposed three orientations to develop a substantive, effective and mutually beneficial relationship.

ASEAN and Canada need to prioritize enhancing trade and investment connectivity, completing negotiations on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement in 2025, and effectively utilizing the CPTPP Agreement.

The Prime Minister emphasized the priority of connecting people, expanding cooperation in education and training, supporting ASEAN in developing high-quality human resources, and granting more scholarships for students and researchers from ASEAN countries to come to Canada to study and research.

To develop a stronger ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership, the Prime Minister suggested that Canada step up cooperation to improve resilience to climate change challenges, support ASEAN countries and especially the Mekong sub-region in energy transition, environmental protection, disaster management, climate change response, emission reduction, and sustainable development.

In addition, Canada also needs to participate in supporting ASEAN to further promote the development of digital economy, green economy, circular economy, and cybersecurity.

At the end of the conference, leaders of ASEAN countries and Canada agreed to adopt a Joint Statement on promoting ASEAN connectivity and self-reliance./.

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