Jakarta, Sep 7 (EFE).- The United States, Russia and China were among the 18 participants of the East Asia Summit (EAS) who on Thursday signed a joint declaration for promoting peace, dialogue and multilateralism in the world.
The declaration was signed during the 18th East Asia Summit in Jakarta, attended by Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, US Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, among others.
The summit featured members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with partner nations such as Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.
“We declare our shared commitment to promote an enabling environment for peace, stability, good governance, prosperity, and sustainable development for all through ensuring a culture of dialogue and cooperation, enhancing mutual trust and confidence, and respect for international law,” read the joint declaration.
The nations also reaffirmed their commitment “to promote multilateralism based on international law, particularly the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, to tackle pressing common regional and global issues and challenges.”
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who chaired the summit, urged participants to prioritize cooperation and dialogue over rivalries to maintain peace and stability in the region.
“All of us sitting in this room have an equal responsibility to create peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. We have the same responsibility not to create new conflicts, tensions or wars,” Widodo said in his opening remarks.
In a symbolic seating arrangement, reflecting the global security rivalry and geopolitical competition among these nations, US Vice President Kamala Harris sat two seats away from Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and opposite Chinese Foreign Minister Li. EFE
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