Chairman's Statement of the ASEAN-Australia Informal Breakfast Summit Singapore

Chairman's Statement of the ASEAN-Australia Informal Breakfast Summit Singapore

1. The ASEAN-Australia Informal Breakfast Summit was held on 14 November 2018 in Singapore. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, and attended by Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States and their representatives as well as The Honourable Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister of Australia. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.

2. We were pleased to note the good progress achieved in dialogue relations between ASEAN and Australia over the past 44 years and welcomed the successful convening of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydney from 17 to 18 March 2018, and the adoption of the Sydney Declaration, including our commitment to intensify our shared work to shape a secure and prosperous region for our people. We welcomed progress in the implementation of the 15 Special Summit initiatives, including those that are already driving greater cooperation in new areas such as counter-terrorism, women, peace and security, cyber, digital standards, smart cities and sustainable urbanisation.

3. ASEAN Leaders welcomed Australia’s enduring support for ASEAN Centrality and its commitment to cooperation through ASEAN-led mechanisms. We reaffirmed our commitment to strengthen the East Asia Summit (EAS) as the region’s premier Leaders-led forum for dialogue on broad strategic, political and economic issues of common interest and concern to promote peace, stability and economic prosperity in the region. 

4. We are committed to deepening political-security cooperation to address traditional and non-traditional security issues such as transnational crime, cyber security, maritime security and terrorism and violent extremism, including through the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and Australia on Cooperation to Counter International Terrorism. ASEAN Leaders welcomed Australia’s ongoing commitment to combat trafficking in persons through the ASEAN-Australia Counter-Trafficking programme. We commended the successful convening of the inaugural ASEAN-Australia Cyber Policy Dialogue in Singapore on 18 September 2018. We reaffirmed our commitment to an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment. We also reaffirmed our commitment to enhance efforts to tackle complex maritime regional issues, including food security, livelihoods, piracy, armed robbery against ships and other crimes at sea, as well as through implementation of the EAS Statement on Enhancing Regional Maritime Cooperation. We noted Thailand’s proposal to co-host an ASEAN-Australia workshop on capacity building for ASEAN Member States to support the implementation of the ASEAN Convention Against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) in Thailand in 2019.

5. We agreed on the need to promote regional economic integration, maintain free and open markets, and resist protectionism. In this regard, we welcomed the conclusion of the General Review of the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) and looked forward to the outcome of discussions to upgrade the AANZFTA Agreement. We further welcomed the completion of the ratification process of the First Protocol to Amend the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (Protocol to Amend AANZFTA) and looked forward to the effective implementation of the Protocol by all Parties. We also welcomed the successful convening of the ASEAN-Australia Business Summit at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. We reaffirmed our commitment to increase two-way trade and investment and encouraged closer business interactions among our private sectors, as well as capacity-building and networking activities, especially among micro, small and medium enterprises, in the digital era.

6. ASEAN Leaders appreciated Australia’s plan to continue to provide funding for economic cooperation under AANZFTA beyond 2019, and acknowledged the significant contribution of the AANZFTA Economic Cooperation Support Programme (AECSP) and the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program Phase II (AADCP II) in supporting ASEAN’s efforts to deepen economic integration, including the effective implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan III. We noted Australia’s support for MPAC 2025 initiatives involving the establishment of an Initial Rolling Priority Pipeline of Potential ASEAN Infrastructure Projects, the Study to Advance Sustainable Urbanisation in ASEAN, and the Development of the ASEAN Connectivity Digital Content.

7. We welcomed engagement between ASEAN and Australia in disaster management, including Australia’s ongoing support for the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) and recent collaboration to deliver relief supplies in response to the Attapeu Dam collapse and Sulawesi earthquake. We also welcomed engagement between ASEAN and Australia in the development of quality, sustainable infrastructure in the region, human rights, women, peace and security, promotion and protection of the rights of migrant workers, good governance, climate change, and enhancing the capacity of ASEAN’s civil service, with a focus on narrowing the development gap within ASEAN.

8. We acknowledged the strength of people-to-people links between ASEAN and Australia, and looked forward to the continuation and enhancement of our education, sports, arts and cultural exchange programmes, including the New Colombo Plan, Australia Awards, Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships, and programmes run by the Australia-ASEAN Council, which will deepen social and cultural linkages between ASEAN and Australia and build enduring connections between our future leaders. We welcomed closer collaboration between ASEAN and Australia in the area of tertiary education. We welcomed the Australian Government’s flagship public diplomacy program, Australia now, to be held throughout ASEAN in 2019, particularly its focus on strengthening ties and collaboration among our young people.

9. We also had a free-flowing discussion on regional and international issues of common interest and concern, including the Korean Peninsula, South China Sea, situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, and the global economy. We acknowledged the changing strategic circumstances in our region. We noted Australia’s support for ASEAN’s initiative to develop ASEAN’s collective cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region which embraces key principles such as ASEAN Centrality, openness, transparency, inclusivity and a rules-based approach, in order to enhance mutual trust, respect and benefit.

10. We welcomed the Inter-Korean Summits held on 27 April 2018, 26 May 2018 and from 18 to 20 September 2018, as well as the Singapore Summit between the United States (US) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 12 June 2018. We also welcomed the DPRK’s stated commitment to complete denuclearisation and its pledge to refrain from further nuclear and missile tests. We reiterated our commitment to the full implementation of all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and noted international efforts to bring about complete denuclearisation in a final, fully verified manner.

11. We discussed the importance of promoting a rules-based order in the region, including through upholding international law such as the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea. We reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation, and pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS. We also emphasised the importance of non-militarisation and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities by claimants and all other states. We looked forward to the conclusion of an effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea consistent with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

12. We welcomed the substantial progress made in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2018. We noted with satisfaction that the RCEP negotiations have advanced to the final stage, and we expressed our determination to conclude a modern, comprehensive, high quality, and mutually beneficial RCEP in 2019. We also expressed our commitment to uphold a global trade environment that is open, mutually beneficial, rules-based and inclusive through the RCEP.

13. Australia congratulated Singapore for its successful year as ASEAN Chair and welcomed Thailand’s Chairmanship in 2019. We looked forward to the full and effective implementation of the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Partnership (2015-2019) and developing a new Plan of Action for 2020-2025 to build on the commitments of the Sydney Declaration and further strengthen the Strategic Partnership. We noted that ASEAN and Australia will be celebrating the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations in 2019.  

                                              
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