Phnom Penh (FN), May 27 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen shared five views and opinions on some tasks and priorities regarding to Asia’s role in the divided world, speaking at the 27th International Conference on “the Future of Asia” under the theme "Redefining Asia's Role in a Divided World", held in a hybrid format on Friday (27 May) in Tokyo, Japan.

“In the overall context as emphasized above, I would like to share my views and opinions on some of the tasks and priorities related to Asia’s role in the divided world, as follow:

First, Asian countries need to consistently call for all countries to respect each other’s sovereignty and independence , in addition to the choice of governing in accordance with different conditions and characteristics of each country. Moreover, all countries must adhere to the principle of peaceful co- existence, non-interference, and respect for one another’s livelihood, tradition, customs, and history, which are the highest values in ensuring a sustainable and inclusive global development.

Second, adhering to the principles of "multilateralism" and "rules-based international cooperation " are the two rules that Asia must continue to uphold. We must not allow any country to be hindered in its development efforts by the imposition of unilateral sanctions, embargoes or other coercive economic measures that violate international law as well as the core principles and purposes, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

Third, Asian countries should work in tandem to further promote regional cooperation that is open, transparent, inclusive, complementary and mutually beneficial. For an instance, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the best example of an open, inclusive, and rules-based trading system that reflects a true aspiration and commitment of participating countries to enhancing regional cooperation. In this regard, we need to continue and make greater efforts to promote other regional initiatives and cooperation aimed at leveraging the potential of Asia's development to its maximum.

Fourth, we must continue to maintain and strengthen Asia’s unity and solidarity amongst countries in Asia, as it is the key to promoting peace, security, stability, and development in the region and the world. In this regard, ASEAN, as a regional grouping, can play an indispensable role in promoting those noble goals. ASEAN, through its ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Plus Three, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, has managed to bring together all the relevant superpowers, middle powers, and small states to jointly build mutual trust and confidence and to reinforce rules-based regional architecture with ASEAN at the c.

Fifth, we must collectively strive to revive and promote regional economy in a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive manner, by: (1). continuing to reduce gaps in accessing the COVID-19 vaccination to put an end to this pandemic, (2). continuing to prioritize the cooperation to strengthen the healthcare and social protection system, (3). further promoting regional connectivity and diversification regarding trade and investment, (4). capturing opportunities from the digital transformation, and (5). addressing climate change and energy transition problems through the promotion of sustainable finance and the investment in green infrastructures."
=FRESH NEWS