Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 27 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen attended the 24th ASEAN-Japan Summit, held Wednesday via video conference.
Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida and other ASEAN leaders except Myanmar attended the meeting,
According to Cambodian delegate minister Kao Kim Hourn, leaders of ASEAN-Japan discussed on two documents, which include progress report on implementation plan of the vision statement on ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation, and progress report on joint statement ASEAN-Japan summit on cooperation on ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
Japan has been one of ASEAN's oldest dialogue partners for 48 years. At the meeting, the ASEAN leaders agreed to Japan’s request to hold a special summit in 2023, marking the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN-Japan dialogue partnership.
The leaders thanked the Government and people of Japan for their massive assistance for the development of ASEAN countries, especially assistance to combat COVID19. They also thanked Japan for its contribution of USD 50 million to the ASEAN Center for Public Health Emergencies.
In addition, the ASEAN heads of state also welcomed Japan's loan worth of USD 250 billion and disaster response to COVID19, as well as its contribution of USD 200 million in medical, equipment and technical assistance for ASEAN.
On the occasion, the leaders asked Japan to help build the ASEAN Community, especially the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, and to facilitate ASEAN integration. They also requested Japan to reduce the development gap of ASEAN member countries and assist countries in the Mekong Region.
The leaders were satisfied with the ASEAN-Japan cooperation and proposed to further promote the strategic partnership. In particular, expand cooperation in all fields, including digital, economic, social, cultural, security and other fields.
At the same time, the Japanese premier also announced to continue to support ASEAN's core role in the region and all ASEAN projects. Lastly, the ASEAN-Japan leaders discussed regional issues, including the South China Sea, Myanmar and the Korean Peninsula.
=FRESH NEWS
