Madrid (VNA) – Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh raised some proposals to help theAsia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) enhance its role in fostering multilateralcooperation, while addressing the 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting inMadrid on December 16.

The meeting gathered foreign ministers andofficials of the 53 ASEM members, consisting of 21 Asian and 30 Europeancountries, the European Union (EU) and the ASEAN Secretariat.

Opening the event, High Representative of the EUfor Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell highlighted ASEM’s roleas a cooperation mechanism of leading importance between the two continentsthat has taken the lead in promoting multilateralism and rules-basedinternational order and contributed to peace, cooperation and development.

Themed “Asia and Europe: Together for EffectiveMultilateralism”, the event will work out concrete measures to continue intensifyingthe Asia-Europe partnership in the three pillars of political dialogue,economic cooperation and cooperation in other fields, according to him.

King of Spain Felipe VI said the ASEM needs toreform, improve its responsiveness and cooperation effectiveness, and maintainits core values and basic principles, thereby affirming its indispensable rolein the swiftly changing context.

At the plenary session following the openingceremony, the participating ministers shared the view that the ASEM should bringinto play its role in promoting multilateralism, consolidating the multilateraltrading system, and reforming the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The meeting also agreed on many measures toenhance ASEM cooperation in responding to growing global challenges, especiallyclimate change, natural disasters, sustainable management of natural resources,food security, energy, water resources, and marine plastic waste.

In his speech, Deputy PM and Foreign MinisterMinh emphasised that multilateral cooperation mechanisms, with the UnitedNations at the centre, have established their indispensable role over the last75 years.

However, he also pointed out thatmultilateralism is facing unprecedented challenges, particularly fiercecompetition among countries, increasing trade disputes, anti-globalisation,extensive impact of digital technology risks, climate change, growinginequality, economic and trade growth stagnation, and unsustainable habits onthe environment.

For the ASEM to keep its leading role in fosteringmultilateral cooperation, rules-based international order, as well as itsstrategic role in decades to come, Minh proposed its members affirm thefundamental role of international law and the UN Charter in internationalrelations and multilateral cooperation.

He also called on them to design a new agendamatching the current context, along with an overall approach to multilateralcooperation at all levels, from regional, inter-regional to global levels,which must centre on the people and pay attention to peace, traditional andnon-traditional issues.

Additionally, it is also necessary to step upthe reform of multilateral institutions, especially the UN and the WTO, so asto adapt to the changes of the era and effectively deal with urgent issues forthe people, the official added.

The Deputy PM also stressed the special positionof multilateral cooperation in Vietnam’s foreign policy, highlighting thecountry’s strong commitment to realising the Sustainable Development Goals andthe Paris Agreement on climate change.

He proposed a high-level ASEM dialogue oneconomic empowerment to women in the digital era be held in Vietnam in 2020.Many ASEM members, including Australia, China, Demark, Finland, Indonesia,Italy, Japan and Norway, supported this initiative.

In his speech, Minh also noted as anon-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and ASEAN Chairin 2020, Vietnam will continue joining hands with other ASEM members tostrengthen the vitality of the multilateral system and bolster the ASEMpartnership in global issues for the sake of peace and sustainable developmentin the two regions and the world./.