PM Phuc reasserted Vietnam’s support for Laos’s ASEAN Presidency after speaking highly of the country’s successful organisation of a host of bloc activities.
The Lao PM pledged that his country would work with other ASEAN countries and partners in dialogue to preserve the bloc’s unity and promote the outcomes of its conferences so as to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world at large.
The leaders showed their delight at the growing bilateral ties and agreed to take further measures to optimise economic co-operation.
Following the opening session, PM Phuc held a meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the first ever between the two leaders.
They were delighted that the two countries’ relations had developed robustly across the board and affirmed they placed importance on the bilateral strategic partnership.
President Duterte expressed his wish for broader co-operation within the strategic partnership as well as in combatting human trafficking and protecting migrant labourers, as well as in cultural and social affairs, and thanked Vietnam for helping his country ensure food security.
The leaders stressed the importance of maintaining peace and security, stepping up co-operation, and handling disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means in accordance with international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and consented to work together for those goals.
The leaders also sought to reinforce co-ordination between the two countries through the foreign ministries’ relationship and other co-operative mechanisms.
They agreed to prioritise pushing for stronger economic co-operation and to facilitate the operations of investors.
The two countries will continue supporting each other when Vietnam assumes the position of APEC Chair and the Philippines takes on the ASEAN Presidency in 2017, they said.
PM Phuc invited President Duterte to visit Vietnam, and the Philippine President accepted the invitation with pleasure.
