Son was joining diplomats from other ASEAN countries and dialogue partners at the ASEAN+1 Foreign Ministers’ Meetings with the United Kingdom and the European Union, and the 15th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

At these meetings, he emphasised the need to deepen economic partnerships, focusing on key priorities outlined in the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. These include green and digital transformation, inclusive and sustainable development, supply chain resilience, green infrastructure, and capacity building for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He proposed that ASEAN and the EU revisit discussions on a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. He also called on remaining EU member states to complete the ratification of the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) to facilitate stronger economic ties.

The Vietnamese official welcomed the United Kingdom and European Union’s support in educational and human resource development, highlighting the value of academic exchanges and high-quality training programmes. He encouraged increased engagement between ASEAN’s research institutions and expert networks, and called for expanded cooperation in public health and emergency preparedness.

On regional and global issues, he reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent positions on the East Sea, the situation in Myanmar, and the Korean Peninsula. He urged partners to support ASEAN’s principled stance on the East Sea, including the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) and the early conclusion of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC), in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In his role as ASEAN Coordinator for ASEAN - UK relations, Son co-chaired the ASEAN - UK Ministerial Meeting with UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy. The two sides reviewed the remarkable progress achieved since establishing the Dialogue Partnership in 2021 and reaffirmed commitment to enhancing cooperation across all three pillars - political-security, economic, and socio-cultural.

ASEAN Ministers welcomed the UK’s active engagement in regional initiatives, including its official observer status in the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Groups on Military Medicine and Maritime Security. They also noted the contributions of UK-supported programmes such as the Economic Integration Programme, Digital Innovation Partnership, and UK–Southeast Asia Tech Week.

Vietnam backs ASEAN-New Zealand upgrade to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

VOV.VN - As coordinator for ASEAN-New Zealand relations, Vietnam has co-chaired the foreign ministers’ meeting and backed the proposal to elevate the ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.