At the first ASEAN-US summit in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei on Wednesday, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stressed that ASEAN - US relations are important to peace, security and development in the region. Addressing the event, PM Dung suggested the two sides coordinate closely in order to effectively implement the 2011-2015 Action Plan and seek ways to implement recommendations by the ASEAN – US celebrity expert group. He also said  that the institutionalization of the ASEAN – US summit as an annual event and the organization of dialogues at all levels have proved the importance of their partnership, contributing to boosting effective cooperation and lifting bilateral relations to strategic partnership. The Vietnamese Government’s leader suggested that ASEAN and the US establish an appropriate consultation channel to realize the master plan on ASEAN connectivity focusing on fields of US’s strength like infrastructure, energy and information technology, and power distribution network. In the immediate future, he said, the two sides need to continue effectively implementing the working plan on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), hold more ASEAN – US business forums, and increase consultations between ASEAN economic ministers and US trade representatives. For the sake of peace, security and stability in the region, the PM called on the US to continue to assist ASEAN in promoting the serious implementation of the ASEAN Six-Point Principles Statement on the East Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and commitments as specified in the Joint Declaration of the ASEAN-China Summit on the 10th anniversary of the DOC to soon achieve the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.  At the meeting, ASEAN leaders and US Secretary of State John Kerry emphasized the need to foster cooperation for peace, maritime security and safety and development in the region, particularly in economics, trade, investment, education, climate change and sustainable use of water resources in the Mekong Sub-region. The two sides agreed that ASEAN and the US will further implement the 2011-2015 Action Plan and the Working Plan on the ASEAN-US TIFA, the 2012-2014 ASEAN-US Energy Cooperation Work Plan, and the ASEAN Enhanced Economic Engagement Initiative.