On the afternoon of October 26, continuing the series of ASEAN Summits with Partners in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, ASEAN leaders and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae attended the 28th ASEAN - Japan Summit.
ASEAN leaders emphasized that Japan is one of ASEAN's longest-standing and most trusted partners. The cooperation between the two sides has developed extensively and dynamically and become a model of a truly comprehensive and mutually beneficial Strategic Partnership in the region.
Japan is also currently the fourth largest trading partner and the fifth largest foreign investor in ASEAN, with two-way trade turnover in 2024 reaching 236.6 billion USD and total investment capital reaching 17.5 billion USD.
Speaking at the conference, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae proposed further promoting specific areas of cooperation between ASEAN and Japan such as marine security, cybersecurity, transnational crime prevention, building a secure, safe and reliable artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, natural disaster prevention, promoting education and training, etc.
Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that in the context of rapid and complex developments in the world and the region, the ASEAN - Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership needs to change strongly, "from heart to heart", "from action to action", "from emotion to efficiency". Accordingly, the Prime Minister proposed 3 key areas of cooperation.
The Prime Minister suggested that the two sides promote economic linkages towards green, inclusive and comprehensive transformation in the digital age, along with the early upgrading of the Free Trade Agreement, prioritizing cooperation in the digital economy, green economy, sustainable supply chain and soon completing the Joint Aviation Agreement.
Promote cooperation in developing education, training, healthcare, science and technology and environmental protection to narrow the development gap, especially in training high-quality human resources, applying digital technology, AI as well as improving the capacity of preventive medicine, warning and responding to epidemics. At the same time, it is necessary to promote cultural exchanges imbued with national identity between ASEAN and Japan.
The Prime Minister also suggested that Japan increase technology transfer and training of human resources on nuclear power and nuclear safety to ASEAN countries.
Emphasizing cooperation in maintaining regional peace, security and stability, including peaceful settlement of disputes, including disputes at sea, in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for a prosperous, safe and sustainable future in the region, the Prime Minister affirmed ASEAN's readiness to play a constructive role, facilitating dialogue between relevant parties, including through ASEAN-led mechanisms, towards long-term peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.
At the end of the conference, ASEAN and Japan leaders adopted a Joint Statement on promoting and implementing ASEAN's ASEAN viewpoint on the East Sea - Pacific (AOIP).
