[Title] CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT OF THE 11TH EAST ASIA SUMMIT, Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community
The 11th East Asia Summit (EAS) was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR on 8 September 2016. The Summit was chaired by H.E. Thongloun SISOULITH, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR. The Summit was attended by the Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States, Australia, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.
2. We reaffirmed our commitment to the 2005 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Establishment of the East Asia Summit, the 2010 Ha Noi Declaration on the Commemoration of the 5th Anniversary of the East Asia Summit, the 2011 Declaration of the East Asia Summit on the Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations, and the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the 10th Anniversary of the EAS, which emphasized the important role of the East Asia Summit as a Leaders-led forum to discuss broad strategic, political, security, and economic issues of common interest and concern with the aim of promoting peace, stability, and economic prosperity in East Asia.
3. We further reaffirmed our support for the ASEAN Community building process and reiterated the importance of ASEAN's central role in the East Asia Summit and the evolving rules-based regional architecture, through ASEAN-led processes. We reaffirmed that the East Asia Summit would continue to be an open, inclusive, transparent, and outward-looking forum that will strengthen global norms and universally recognized principles with ASEAN as the driving force, and working in partnership with other participants of the East Asia Summit. We emphasized the importance of the rule of law in international relations.
4. We are pleased with the progress made in the implementation of the decisions and proposals made at the 10th East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur in November 2015, especially initiatives to strengthen the East Asia Summit and its work processes. We noted with appreciation that the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN and Ambassadors of non-ASEAN EAS participating countries in Jakarta have convened two meetings since April 2016 and welcomed the establishment of the EAS Unit within the ASEAN Secretariat.
5. We took note of the convening of the 5th EAS Workshop on Regional Security Architecture co-chaired by the Lao PDR and China in Beijing, China on 27-28 June 2016 and the 6th EAS Workshop in 2017 in Thailand.
Priority Areas of Cooperation
6. We welcomed the progress made in implementing the Plan of Action (POA) to implement the Phnom Penh Declaration on the East Asia Summit Development Initiative (2015-2017) which focuses on EAS cooperation in the six priority areas, namely energy, education, finance, global health including pandemics, environment and disaster management, and ASEAN connectivity. We took note of the Progress Report of the Implementation of the POA.
Energy
7. We noted the progress made under the EAS Energy Cooperation Task Force (ECTF) Work Plan 2015-2016 in the work streams of Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C); Biofuels for Transport and Other Purposes; and Renewable and Alternative Power Generation (RAPG). We underlined the importance of continued investments in the energy sector as well as the promotion of clean energy, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean energy technology including enhancing the use of natural gas as less polluting energy. We welcomed the previous two EAS Clean Energy Forums hosted by China and ASEAN Center for Energy, and looked forward to the 3rd EAS Clean Energy Forum.
Education
8. We acknowledged the conclusion of the EAS Education Plan of Action 2011- 2015 and noted the commitment as well as efforts of the EAS participating countries in the implementation of the remaining EAS projects and new ones in support of the ASEAN Work Plan on Education 2016-2020.
9. We welcomed the Third EAS Education Ministers Meeting (3rd EAS EMM) held on 26 May 2016 in Selangor, Malaysia and took note of the continued implementation of the 15 projects under the Plan of Action.
10. We noted the opening of a third school for Buddhist Studies and Comparative Religion for academic year 2016-2017 at the Nalanda University.
Finance
11. We reiterated the importance of financial stability in supporting economic growth by consistently monitoring risks and vulnerabilities. We expressed support for the further strengthening of the region's resilience to external shocks through continued regional financial cooperation and closer collaboration with international financial institutions. We further noted the importance of the efforts towards an enhanced SME finance system.
Global Health including Pandemics
12. We reaffirmed our commitment to the goal of an Asia-Pacific free of malaria by 2030, and welcomed ongoing efforts to implement proposed actions in the endorsed Asia Pacific Leaders' Malaria Elimination Roadmap, including the Flagship ASEAN- India Programme for Combating Malaria.
13. We reaffirmed the importance of promoting sustainable and resilient health systems and global achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, including universal health coverage, and recognized the public health challenges caused by infectious diseases and emerging threats including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which underscore the human and economic losses. In this regard, we took note of Russia's initiative to organize in 2017, in the implementation of the 10th EAS Statement on Enhancing Regional Health Security relating to Infectious Diseases with Epidemic and Pandemic Potential, an EAS meeting on managing epidemics risks in the region with the aim to discuss the establishment of a working group on communicable diseases prevention and response.
Environment and Disaster Management
14. We welcomed the convening of the Senior Officials' Meeting for the 5th EAS Environment Ministers' Meeting (EMM) on 11 September 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and looked forward to the convening of the 5th EAS EMM back-to-back with the 14th ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Environment (AMME) in 2017. We also noted the convening of the 7th High Level Seminar on Environmentally Sustainable Cities (HLS- ESC) with a specific theme on Redesigning towards 2030 Agenda held on 3-4 March 2016 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.
15. We expressed concern over the adverse impact climate change presents to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of all countries. We welcomed the Paris Agreement on climate change and reaffirmed the importance of taking the domestic steps necessary to join the Agreement as soon as possible and affirmed our intentions to implement countries' nationally determined contributions. We looked forward to a successful COP-22 to promote the post-Paris negotiation in developing the modalities, procedures and guideline for the full implementation of the Paris Agreement. We also noted that many countries support for a hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) phasedown amendment to the Montreal Protocol in 2016.
16. We reaffirmed our commitment to further enhance cooperation in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and mitigation through regional mechanisms, including through the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM), and the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre). We welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN,
One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disaster as One in the region and outside the region. We also welcomed the convening of the 5th ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) Session on EAS Cooperation in Disaster Management on 28 April 2016 in Semarang, Indonesia; the convening of the 5th EAS Earthquake Relief Executive Course held by China and the U.S. on 25 July 2016 in Indonesia; and the convening of the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in New Delhi in November 2016, with an EAS Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in its sidelines.
17. We welcomed Indonesia's initiative to convene an international Table-Top Exercise (TTX) in partnership with Australia, on 15-17 November 2016 in Ambon, Indonesia to test the EAS Rapid Disaster Response Toolkit (EAS Toolkit) which was launched at the Indonesia-Australia EAS Rapid Disaster Response Workshop in June 2015 in Bali, Indonesia.
ASEAN Connectivity
18. We noted the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) and the adoption of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025. In this regard, we looked forward to the 7th ASEAN Connectivity Symposium entitled "Intensifying Partnerships to Realise the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025" to be held in October 2016 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. We recognized the role of ERIA in promoting regional economic integration, took note of the Statement of the 9th Governing Board Meeting of ERIA, and encouraged ERIA to continue its role in supporting ASEAN Connectivity in the coming years. We encouraged ERIA to continue its support to the Chair of ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit.
19. We underscored the importance of promoting infrastructure development in East Asia to facilitate trade, investment and service competitiveness in the region and acknowledged that the mobilization of means of implementation of infrastructure projects is critical. In this regard, we adopted the Vientiane Declaration on Promoting Infrastructure Development Cooperation in East Asia.
Other Areas of Cooperation
Maritime Cooperation
20. We underscored the importance of enhancing regional cooperation in promoting maritime safety and security, and encouraged activities to implement the 2015 EAS Statement on Enhancing Regional Maritime Cooperation, including the proposed EAS Maritime Security Cooperation Seminar in Australia in November 2016 co-chaired by Indonesia and Australia, the second EAS Conference on Maritime Security and Cooperation in India in November 2016, and the Workshop on Maritime Search and Rescue hosted by China in 2017.
21. We looked forward to the convening of the 5th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) back-to-back with the 7th ASEAN Maritime Forum to be held in Brunei Darussalam.
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
22. We welcomed ASEAN's commitment to preserving Southeast Asia as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone and the contribution of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANFWZ) Treaty to regional security and the global non-proliferation regime. We noted the Parties to the SEANFWZ Treaty will continue engaging the Nuclear Weapon States to resolve all outstanding issues in accordance with the objectives and principles of the SEANFWZ Treaty. We reaffirm our commitment to our shared goals of nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy and adopted the East Asia Summit Statement on Non-Proliferation.
Food Security and Food Safety
23. We commended the work of the EAS Track II Study Group on Enhancing Food Security through Sustainable Fisheries Management and Marine Environment Conservation. We noted the five principal recommendations made by the Study Group, and we tasked our officials to provide recommendations on the implementation of the five principal recommendations.
Regional and International Issues
South China Sea
24. We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in and over-flight in the South China Sea. Several Leaders remained concerned over recent developments in the South China Sea. We stressed the importance for the parties concerned to resolve their disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We also emphasized the importance of non-militarization. We welcomed the Joint Statement issued by Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and emphasized the need for ASEAN Member States and China to ensure the full and effective implementation of the DOC in its entirety. We welcomed the efforts by ASEAN Member States and China to work towards the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).
Korean Peninsula
25. We shared serious concern over the recent developments in the Korean Peninsula, including the nuclear tests on 6 January 2016, rocket launch on 7 February 2016 and the submarine-launch ballistic missile on 23 August 2016 by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which are in violation of the UNSC resolutions. We reaffirmed the importance of peace and security in this region and reiterated support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. We urged the DPRK to comply with all relevant UNSC resolutions, including the UNSC Resolution 2270 and called on all parties to exert common efforts to maintain peace and security in the said region and create an environment conducive to the early resumption of the Six- Party Talks to make further progress in denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. We also emphasized the importance of addressing humanitarian concerns of the international community, including the abductions issue.
Terrorism and Moderation
26. We strongly condemned terrorist attacks in recent months that had caused significant loss of life. We discussed the need for countries to support efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremism including those by working towards the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, and we affirmed continuing commitment to the principles announced in the 2015 East Asia Summit Statement on Countering Violent Extremism and the 2014 East Asia Summit Statement on the Rise of Violence and Brutality Committed by Terrorist/Extremist Organisations in Iraq and Syria. In this regard, we welcomed Indonesia and the ROK's plan to co- organize a Regional Seminar on Capacity Building to Counter Violent Extremism.
Refugees/Migrants
27. We called on the Governments of all countries involved source, transit and destination to provide responses in the spirit of cooperation and collective efforts acting with humanity, compassion and in accordance with international law, and to the extent permitted by domestic law, to refugees and migrants. In this regard, we welcomed the adoption of the East Asia Summit Declaration on Strengthening Responses to Migrants in Crisis and Trafficking in Persons.
Regional Economic Integration
28. We welcomed the outcomes of the fourth EAS Economic Ministers' Meeting, held on 5 August 2016 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. We reaffirmed our efforts to enhance regional economic integration in East Asia and the Asia Pacific region and note the regional integration initiatives such as ASEAN Economic Community and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. We also welcomed the outcomes of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, in December 2015 and noted that the "Nairobi Package", in particular decisions on agriculture, cotton, and issues related to least-developed countries (LDCs) will bring great benefits to all WTO Members. We also committed to advancing negotiations on remaining Doha Development Agenda (DDA) issues. We also noted that a range of issues of common interest and importance to today's global economy may be legitimate issues for discussions in the WTO.
IUU Fishing
29. We noted that challenges of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing remain and have become even more complex in the region. We committed to expanding regional cooperation to address this issue, including through supporting the effective implementation of the relevant international law and instruments.
Counter-Wildlife and Timber Trafficking
30. We committed to demonstrating leadership in the global fight against wildlife and timber trafficking and furthering efforts to reduce these illegal activities.
31. We looked forward to the convening of the 12th East Asia Summit in the Philippines in 2017.