ASEAN enjoys half century of dynamic, comprehensive development (Source: asean.org)The association has an important role andposition in the Southeast Asian and Asian-Pacific regions with profoundpolitical, economic, cultural and social influences.
A spirit of solidarity, consensus and mutualsupport and respect, along with harmonious combination of national andcommunity interests have helped enhance the association’s position.
Over the past half century, ASEAN has proved itselfa leading factor in ensuring a peaceful environment, security and cooperationfor regional development, illustrated through the bloc’s efforts to cooperatein politics and security and build codes of conduct to increase mutualunderstanding and prevent conflicts in the region.
ASEAN has also established collaboration withimportant partners in the world, while initiating and playing a key role inseveral regional cooperation frameworks, especially the ASEAN Regional Forum(ARF) – the only mechanism for dialogues and cooperation in political andsecurity matters in Asia-Pacific.
The association has created favourableconditions for important partners outside Southeast Asia to contribute to thesettlement of common security challenges, helping reinforce peace and securityin the region.
More countries around the world have showninterest in Southeast Asia. The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation initiated byASEAN in 1976 has until now attracted 35 external nations, which serves as afoundation for the bloc and other countries to promote peace and stability inthe region.
ASEAN also plays a key role in promotingcooperation and connectivity in East Asia, especially in economics and trade,through initiating and playing the key role in suitable cooperative mechanismssuch as ASEAN plus and East Asia Summit (EAS).
In addition, ASEAN was among the founders as well as assumedan important role in inter-regional cooperation mechanisms such as the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and comprehensiveeconomic agreement between ASEAN and big partners in Northeast Asia and beyond.
In the context of slow global economic recovery,the association’s economy is forecast to maintain its current average economicgrowth of 5 percent per year in the next decade, nearly double the world’saverage, making it one of the driving force for the global economy.
With total gross domestic product growth of 2.43trillion USD in 2015, ASEAN rose to become the sixth largest economy in theworld and is likely to rank fourth by 2025.
The formation of the ASEAN Community on December31, 2015 with three pillars: politics-security, economics and culture-society,has also enhanced the bloc’s development.
ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh hasaffirmed that in the post-2015 period, ASEAN will be a people-centred andrule-based community that looks toward sustainable development and can make useof new opportunities and cope with new challenges.
In the next 10 years, the ASEAN community willplay a greater role in regional and international issues, he said, adding thatthe bloc has implemented measures to build and reinforce the community acrossthe three pillars while carrying out an overall plan for ASEAN connectivitythrough 2025 as well as other action plans on ASEAN integration.
At present, ASEAN faces both internal andexternal challenges, including the complicated situation in the East Sea andthe expansion of terrorism and extremism, particularly threats by theself-claimed Islamic State.
In addition to diversifying external relations,ASEAN is strengthening cooperation in the fields of politics, security,economics and culture, as well as building trust to make active contributionsto peace, security and stability in the region and around the world, whilereinforcing and increasing its position as a cohesive, dynamic and successfulcooperative organisation.
Established in 1967, the 10-member ASEAN groupsBrunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
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