Berlin (VNA) – The Berlin ASEAN Committee heldthe ASEAN Day in the German capital city on October 25, aiming to enhancemutual understanding and cooperation between ASEAN countries and Germany.
The annual event saw the presence of DirectorGeneral for Asia and the Pacific at the German Federal Foreign Office InaLepel, member of the German federal parliament and head of the Germany-ASEANParliamentary Friendship Group Renate Kuenast, and diplomats from ASEANcountries.
In his speech, Vietnamese Ambassador Doan XuanHung, head of the Berlin ASEAN Committee, highlighted the bloc’s achievementsover the last five decades, which have turned ASEAN into a united, strong andcomprehensively cohesive community that has greatly helped to maintain regionalpeace, stability, cooperation and development. It has been playing anincreasing role in the region and the world, the diplomat affirmed.
ASEAN’s relations with the European Union (EU)and Germany have developed unceasingly, he noted, elaborating that the EU isthe biggest investor and the second largest trade partner of ASEAN. Meanwhile,Germany ranks 10th among trade partners of ASEAN and has also substantiallyassisted the bloc to realise the sustainable development goals.
On this occasion, Hung asked Germany to activelyjoin hands with the EU to soon sign and ratify the EU-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement (FTA) and effectively implement the EU-Singapore FTA, therebycreating a new momentum for trade and investment links between the two regions.
For her part, Ina Lepel congratulated ASEANcountries on their enormous attainments. She added that in September, the EUCommission adopted the EU’s strategy for Europe-Asia connectivity, and it is tryingto seek common points to connect this strategy with the Master Plan on ASEANConnectivity.
She stressed that while unilateralism isemerging, the world order based on rules, free trade and environmentalprotection – the foundation of global peace and security – is facing numerouschallenges. In that context, the EU and ASEAN with many similarities shouldswiftly lift their ties to a strategic partnership.
Lepel also voiced her hope that more FTAsbetween the EU and ASEAN nations will be signed and enforced effectively in thefuture.
Meanwhile, Renate Kuenast said amid newchallenges, the two groupings need new approaches on FTAs. They shouldassociate these deals with the United Nations sustainable development goals,particularly climate change prevention.
She expressed her belief that the Germany-ASEANParliamentary Friendship Group will continue to be an effective bridgeenhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in education, trade, environmentalprotection and human rights ensuring.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
The annual event saw the presence of DirectorGeneral for Asia and the Pacific at the German Federal Foreign Office InaLepel, member of the German federal parliament and head of the Germany-ASEANParliamentary Friendship Group Renate Kuenast, and diplomats from ASEANcountries.
In his speech, Vietnamese Ambassador Doan XuanHung, head of the Berlin ASEAN Committee, highlighted the bloc’s achievementsover the last five decades, which have turned ASEAN into a united, strong andcomprehensively cohesive community that has greatly helped to maintain regionalpeace, stability, cooperation and development. It has been playing anincreasing role in the region and the world, the diplomat affirmed.
ASEAN’s relations with the European Union (EU)and Germany have developed unceasingly, he noted, elaborating that the EU isthe biggest investor and the second largest trade partner of ASEAN. Meanwhile,Germany ranks 10th among trade partners of ASEAN and has also substantiallyassisted the bloc to realise the sustainable development goals.
On this occasion, Hung asked Germany to activelyjoin hands with the EU to soon sign and ratify the EU-Vietnam Free TradeAgreement (FTA) and effectively implement the EU-Singapore FTA, therebycreating a new momentum for trade and investment links between the two regions.
For her part, Ina Lepel congratulated ASEANcountries on their enormous attainments. She added that in September, the EUCommission adopted the EU’s strategy for Europe-Asia connectivity, and it is tryingto seek common points to connect this strategy with the Master Plan on ASEANConnectivity.
She stressed that while unilateralism isemerging, the world order based on rules, free trade and environmentalprotection – the foundation of global peace and security – is facing numerouschallenges. In that context, the EU and ASEAN with many similarities shouldswiftly lift their ties to a strategic partnership.
Lepel also voiced her hope that more FTAsbetween the EU and ASEAN nations will be signed and enforced effectively in thefuture.
Meanwhile, Renate Kuenast said amid newchallenges, the two groupings need new approaches on FTAs. They shouldassociate these deals with the United Nations sustainable development goals,particularly climate change prevention.
She expressed her belief that the Germany-ASEANParliamentary Friendship Group will continue to be an effective bridgeenhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in education, trade, environmentalprotection and human rights ensuring.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
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