Jakarta (VNA) - Vietnam’s chairing the virtual 37th ASEAN Summit andRelated Summits over the last week was an exceptional achievement given thehugely disruptive impact of COVID-19 on the ASEAN calendar this year, AustralianAmbassador to ASEAN Will Nankervis has said.

Inan interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), Nankervis said theASEAN-Australia and East Asia Summits are the pinnacles of a substantive yearof cooperation for ASEAN and Australia.

Thisyear marked a number of important anniversaries, including 15 years since theestablishment of the EAS in 2005 - this in itself is a significant milestonefor the ASEAN-led architecture.

PrimeMinister Morrison participated in the ASEAN-Australia Summit and the East AsiaSummit, both held by videoconference, on November 14.

“Atthe ASEAN-Australia Summit, the Prime Minister warmly welcomed ASEAN’sagreement to upgrade the tempo of our leaders’ meetings to annual summits,marking a new chapter in our strategic partnership,” the ambassador said.

ThePM outlined a landmark series of Australian investments to support vaccineaccess, health security and recovery in Southeast Asia, which builds onAustralia’s existing development assistance programmes with the region, worth around1 billion AUD (731.57 million USD)  in2020-21.

Thepackage is in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which emphasisescooperation on maritime, connectivity, sustainable development and economicissues.

“We’vebeen very pleased to see Vietnam maintain the momentum behind the ASEAN Outlookon the Indo-Pacific, which was agreed by member states last year,” Nankervissaid.

TheOutlook presents an ASEAN-centred view on issues in the Indo-Pacific and theimportance of cooperation on maritime, connectivity, the SustainableDevelopment Goals and economic development issues, he added.  

“Wewelcomed Vietnam’s Chair’s statement from the ASEAN Summit in late June, whichfeatured strong language on the East Sea; it underscored the importance ofinternational law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of theSea,” the ambassador stressed.

Vietnamhas actively engaged all dialogue partners to ensure ASEAN remains at thecentre of regional dynamics, he went on.

UnderVietnam’s Chairmanship, and as the Prime Minister observed, Australia isworking more closely than ever with ASEAN, according to the ambassador.

TheRegional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement which was signedon November 15  matters for its sheersize, collective economic weight and strategic significance in placing ASEAN atthe centre of regional economic arrangements, he said.

RCEPcountries account for almost a third of the world’s population and GDP, 58percent of Australia’s trade and 67 percent of the country’s exports, accordingto Nankervis.

Noother trade agreement brings together parties with the collective economicweight of the ASEAN member states and the major economies in the region.

RCEPsends a clear message that the region is committed to open trade andinvestment, he said, adding that the deal is testament to ASEAN leadership anda positive development for the entire Indo-Pacific region./.