On April 28 morning, the 32nd ASEAN Summit officially opened in Singapore. Later, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and leaders of ASEAN countries attended a retreat chaired by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hien Loong.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, PM Lee said ASEAN is entering a new stage of development amidst rapid developments in the region and the world so that it is necessary to continue strengthening the bloc's solidarity and uphold its central role. With the goal of building an ASEAN Community of shared prosperity that brings practical benefits to members, Lee underscored the need to enhance self-resilience to deal with traditional and non-traditional security challenges, facilitate innovation via adopting new technology, and effectively reinforce economic-trade collaboration, and seek cooperation opportunities in new fields.

Lee noted that ASEAN leaders agreed to adopt the Declaration on the ASEAN Leaders' Vision for a Resilient and Innovative ASEAN, the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on Cyber Security Cooperation and Concept Note for an ASEAN Smart Cities Network.

During the retreat to discuss orientations for ASEAN's external relations, leaders reaffirmed the importance of solidarity and unity, saying that a self-resilient ASEAN is a crucial factor to help the bloc maintain its central role in the region with balanced and mutually-beneficial relationships with partners, thereby leading to success in building an open, transparent and rules-based regional architecture.

On the occasion, participants lauded the success of the ASEAN – India Commemorative Summit in January 2018 and the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit in March 2018. They agreed to hold activities celebrating the 15th anniversary of ASEAN – China strategic partnership and the 45th anniversary of ASEAN – Japan dialogue partnership this year.

They welcomed positive progresses on the Korean peninsula and the timely issuance of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Statement on the Developments in the Korean Peninsula, with the expectation for a peaceful and sustainable solution to denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula.

On the East Sea issue, leaders highlighted upholding the spirit of self-resilience, maintaining stance and principles on the East Sea, including ensuring maritime and aviation security, safety and freedom in the region, exercising self-restraint and refraining from unilateral action that complicates the situation, peacefully settling disputes based on respect of international law, diplomatic and legal processes and seriously implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea towards building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

They shared the view that the formulation of an effective, practical and legally-binding COC in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, will play an important role in ensuring a transparent and rules-based regional architecture and an East Sea of peace and stability.

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc agreed with ASEAN's common approach to effective and practical external relations with partners, affirming that the bloc needs to continue maintaining its central role in the region on the basis of strengthening collective self-resilience capacity, upholding its solidarity, unity and vanguard role in promoting regional economic connectivity.

On regional and global issues, the Vietnamese PM and ASEAN leaders heralded positive results of the Inter-Korean Summit on April 27, considering it a new and important step to denuclearisation and peace on the Korean peninsula.

Amidst complicated developments in the East Sea, he said ASEAN needs to continue maintaining basic principles and consistently pursue the agreed stance on the East Sea, towards building an effective and legally-binding COC for an East Sea of sustainable peace and stability.