Speaking at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) +10 Sessions with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Russia, the US, the EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on July 23, the Deputy PM said the two sides should accelerate the implementation of cooperation agreements and complete ongoing negotiations as soon as possible in order to build free-trade areas to boost the  two sides’ economic and commercial ties.

He said they should also create opportunities for ASEAN member countries to integrate through international trade, promote cooperation for mutual benefit, and deal with global issues and challenges, with the aim of contributing more to maintaining peace, security and development in Southeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and the world. The Deputy PM expressed his hope that dialogue partners would continue to support and assist ASEAN to obtain its targets of building the ASEAN community and upholding its important role in regional processes.

On the afternoon of July 23, the Vietnamese delegation co-chaired the ASEAN PMC+1 session with Canada.

During the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, Deputy PM Khiem had a working session with Japan to promote CLV+J and Mekong-Japan cooperation programmes.

He praised Japan’s commitment to assisting Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in the framework of cooperation between the three countries, Japan and Mekong-Japan. He said Japan pledged aid for the East-West Corridor, the Southern Corridor and the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Triangle.

Deputy PM Khiem said that in the “Mekong-Japan Exchange Year 2009”, Vietnam will organise days of Mekong-Japan tourism and culture with diverse activities in southern Can Tho city, and invite other countries to take part in.

At the meeting, partners also exchanged views on international and regional matters of common concern, such as climate change, environment, pollution, exhaust fumes and the reform of the UN Security Council and the UN, and denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula.