FM spokesman: ASEAN-China FMs’ special meeting positive The special meeting of ASEAN and Chinese Foreign Ministers has achieved positive results in a friendly, straightforward and constructive spirit, contributing to strengthening mutual understanding and trust, promoting cooperation and efforts to deal with common challenges.  Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Le Hai Binh made the statement in Hanoi on June 16 in reply to the Vietnam News Agency’s queries about the significance and outcomes of the meeting.  The meeting originated from ASEAN’s need to discuss the East Sea issue and bilateral ties with China, laying groundwork for preparations for the High-Level Summit celebrating the 25 th anniversary of ASEAN-China ties, which is slated for this September in Laos.  Both sides agreed on orientations and measures to deepen the ASEAN-China strategic partnership, particularly in the fields of the economy, trade, investment, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchange.  They underscored the importance of celebrations for the 25th anniversary and reached consensus on preparations for the High-Level Summit during which a joint statement for the summit and another ASEAN-China joint statement on cooperation in enhanced manufacturing capacity are expected to be adopted.  On the East Sea issue, both sides straightforwardly discussed the latest developments and solutions. The ASEAN member states expressed concerns over the complicated developments in recent times which have exacerbated tensions and eroded trust. If improperly settled, such developments would trigger incidents affecting peace, stability and security in the region.  The bloc affirmed its common stance and principles, by stressing the significance of maintaining peace, stability, and maritime and overflight aviation security and safety in the East Sea, peacefully settling disputes in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, fully respecting legal and diplomatic processes and refraining from the use or threat to use force, showing self-restraint, and the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). The two sides committed to completing preparations for ASEAN and Chinese diplomatic officials to promptly launch a hotline about incidents at sea and to issue the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Implementation of the Code for Unplanned Encounters in the East Sea at the High-Level Summit, he said. VNA