Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaking at the debate (Photo: MOFA)

He stressed the role of Vietnam as the host of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Year 2017 and a member of the UN Human Rights Council for 2014-2016 and the UN Economic and Social Council for 2016-2018.

Vietnam is now running for the position of non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure, actively implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change, as well as engaging in UN peacekeeping missions, he noted.

At the debate, themed "Focusing on people: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet”, the Vietnamese official stated that maintaining peace is always a top priority, requiring countries to work together to promote multilateralism.

In this process, the UN should serve as a coordinator that connects joint efforts to deal with global challenges based on a system of more comprehensive regulations and standards, he said.

He suggested countries place people’s interests at the centre of all policies and actions in order to successfully realise the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and ensure a decent life for all peoples of the world.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Deputy PM Minh called on all parties concerned to exercise restraint and solve disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They must fully respect diplomatic and legal processes on the basis of international law, seriously implement the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and work towards an effective and legally binding Code of Conduct (COC), he stressed.

The same day, at the UN headquarters, Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh, authorised by President Tran Dai Quang, signed the Treaty of the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The signing reflects Vietnam’s consistent policy for peace and its support for the disarmament of nuclear weapons all over the world.

On the sidelines of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, the Vietnamese official met with the foreign ministers of Hungary and Saudi Arabia and the managing director of the World Economic Forum.

He also received representatives of some major US groups and corporations such as Boeing, ExxonMobile, Uber, AES, MetLife and Pfizer. The US businesses spoke highly of Vietnam’s determination to boost comprehensive economic reform, improve business climate and provide optimal conditions for foreign investors, including those from the US.