At the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting convened on 24 April, the regional leaders focused on discussing ASEAN Community building, the bloc’s external relations, and issues of regional and international concerns.
They said facing many challenges to regional peace, stability and development, more than ever, ASEAN needs to push for solidarity and mutual assistance to overcome difficulties and sustain its centrality and position. Stepping up COVID-19 response and promoting comprehensive recovery are among the top priorities of the bloc at the moment.
The leaders agreed to continue effectively implementing pandemic-response initiatives passed last year, particularly completing and conducting a plan for employing the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund as soon as possible to buy vaccines and support recovery efforts.
On the Myanmar situation, the leaders expressed their concern and said it is worsening, and held that it is necessary for ASEAN to promote its role and employ its existing mechanisms to assist the nation in line with the bloc’s spirit of solidarity and non-interference in internal affairs. Accordingly, ASEAN representatives will be sent to Myanmar to learn about the situation, contact with the sides involved, and propose ways and measures to promote dialogue and conciliation.
ASEAN member states agreed to continue boosting humanitarian assistance efforts to help Myanmar people via the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA).
Sharing concerns of other participants on the Myanmar situation and ASEAN’s role, Chinh affirmed that Vietnam, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and the president for April, has worked to create favorable conditions for the ASEAN member nations to collaborate closely at UN forums in mobilizing support for the bloc’s efforts in approaching and finding suitable solutions to the Myanmar issue.
Opinions and proposals of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the meeting were met with approval and consensus from other leaders of ASEAN member nations, as they target concerns and priorities of ASEAN at the moment, especially with regards to COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, promoting recovery and effective responses to arising issues.
| ASEAN leaders supported proposals for increasing the bloc’s relations with China, Australia, the US, and the UK. |
They said facing many challenges to regional peace, stability and development, more than ever, ASEAN needs to push for solidarity and mutual assistance to overcome difficulties and sustain its centrality and position. Stepping up COVID-19 response and promoting comprehensive recovery are among the top priorities of the bloc at the moment.
The leaders agreed to continue effectively implementing pandemic-response initiatives passed last year, particularly completing and conducting a plan for employing the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund as soon as possible to buy vaccines and support recovery efforts.
  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pays a courtesy visit to Indonesian President Joko Widodo ahead of the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh holds talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA 
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has a meeting with Brunei Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah,
Chair of ASEAN Year 2021. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  The Vietnamese Prime Minister has a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  The Vietnamese Prime Minister has a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA |
On the Myanmar situation, the leaders expressed their concern and said it is worsening, and held that it is necessary for ASEAN to promote its role and employ its existing mechanisms to assist the nation in line with the bloc’s spirit of solidarity and non-interference in internal affairs. Accordingly, ASEAN representatives will be sent to Myanmar to learn about the situation, contact with the sides involved, and propose ways and measures to promote dialogue and conciliation.
ASEAN member states agreed to continue boosting humanitarian assistance efforts to help Myanmar people via the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA).
 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Joining the meeting are leaders of ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, and leader of the Myanmar military Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Photo: Duong Giang/VNA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signs the guest book at the Headquarters of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo: VNA |
| This was his first overseas working trip since Chinh was elected as the Prime Minister. During the trip, Chinh attended the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting; held talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo; met with Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah; had bilateral meetings with Cambodian PM Hun Sen, Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian PM Muhyiddin Yassin; and received ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi. |
Opinions and proposals of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the meeting were met with approval and consensus from other leaders of ASEAN member nations, as they target concerns and priorities of ASEAN at the moment, especially with regards to COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, promoting recovery and effective responses to arising issues.
By VNA/VNP
