Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is enteringa new stage of development, aiming to build a people-centred ASEAN community on a legal basis of the ASEANCharter and ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
Officially becoming the ASEAN Community on December 31, 2015, thegroup is currently continuing to implement orientations and initiatives to developan ASEAN of self-reliance, creativity and sustainable development amid quick changesin the region and the world.
The ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967, in Bangkok by the five membercountries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.Brunei joined in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in1999.
Theregional bloc has entered the 4th year of implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, with a focuson implementing master plans in all the three pillars of politics-security, economyand culture-society; expanding and deepening foreign relations, strengtheningASEAN's central role in the shaping the regional structure; strengthening connectivityand narrowing the development gap through the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 and the3rd period Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI)’s work plan.
In his recent speech at the recent 52nd ASEANForeign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-52) in Bangkok, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minhpraised the results of the 4-year implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, calling on the ASEAN tocontinue promoting intra-bloc solidarity and cooperation and maintaining itscentral role in external relations, thus effectively responding to rapid shiftsin regional and global strategic aspect.
He proposed the ASEAN to conduct mid-term review of master plans to build theCommunity, increase intra-regional trade and investment, and promote socialcooperation, and environmental protection.
Delegates to the meeting affirmed their determination to fully and effectivelyimplement the ASEAN Community Vision 2025,and continue to implement orientations and initiatives to build an ASEAN of self-reliance, creativity and sustainable development.
The meeting also touched upon recent issues related to theEast Sea, especially Chinese geological surveyvessel group Haiyang Dizhi 8’s activities in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone(EEZ) continental shelf, which has caused concerns in the internationalcommunity.
Ministers expressed deep concern about recent developments in the sea,emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety,freedom of navigation and aviation in the sea; asking for the compliance withinternational law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; and callingon relevant parties to restrain and strictly implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC) towards reaching an effective and practical Code of Conduct (COC) in theEast Sea at an early date.
Minh’sstatement at the meeting on this matter was very frank, sincere and based on aconstructive and friendly spirit, and that is why it received sharing andsupport from many countries.
Sofar, the ASEAN has achieved encouraging results on all the three pillars. Theeconomic growth of ASEAN member countries continued to be stable, with GDP in2019 expected to reach 4.9 percent, and the group’s total GDP is estimated at 3trillion USD.
In 2019, the ASEAN focuses on improving the capacity to handle securitychallenges such as terrorism, transnational crime and cyber security; increasingdiplomatic capacity to promote border management, marine, diplomatic and defencecooperation, and sustainable security.
It has also paid attention to digitalising economy, adapting to the fourthindustrial revolution, strengthening connectivity, facilitating trade,services, investment, and sustainable economic development, completingnegotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP),and connecting regional initiatives.
The ASEAN promotes people-oriented cooperation and ensures human security,through cooperation programmes on social welfare, environmental protection,disaster management and response to climate change, promoting lifelongeducation, upholding ASEAN cultural identity, promoting cooperation to adapt topopulation aging, and developing human resources.
Additionally, the ASEAN continues to implement an open foreign policy, strivingto maintain a balanced and mutually beneficial cooperation with its partners,proactively consolidating mechanisms initiated and chaired by the group, contributingto strengthening open, transparent, and rule-based regional structures with theASEAN playing a central role.
Since officially joining the ASEAN on July 28, 1995, Vietnam has made importantcontributions to the bloc’s growth and development, actively contributing tothe process of expanding and completing ideas on the ASEAN cooperation.
Vietnam has cooperated with member countries to build important orientationsand decisions of the ASEAN such as the ASEAN Vision 2020 (1997) and the ASEANVision 2025 (2015); the Hanoi Action Programme (1998); the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II (2003), the ASEAN Charter (2007), the Roadmap for the ASEANCommunity (2009-2015), the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) on narrowingdevelopment gap.
As a responsible member of the ASEAN, Vietnam has alsosuccessfully undertaken important rotary missions in the group, including thehost of the 6th ASEAN Summit (1998), the Chair of the ASEAN StandingCommittee (2000-2001) and the Chair of the ASEAN (2010). It served as an activecoordinator of the relations between ASEAN and key partners such as the US,Russia, the EU, India and Japan.
Vietnam has also made important contributions to forming,expanding and consolidating institutions led by the ASEAN such as the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
Vietnam always upholds solidarity and unity in the ASEAN, builds and promotesthe value of regional security tools and mechanisms, fosters confidencebuilding and sharing of regional norms of conduct, strengthening ASEAN'scentral role through mechanisms and forums chaired by the bloc.
As one of the two countries with the highest rate of the implementation ofcommitments in the master plan of building the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC),95.5 percent, second only to Singapore, Vietnam has also actively promoted thedevelopment and implementation of intra-bloc economic cooperation agreements aswell as between the ASEAN and its partners; and contributed cooperationinitiatives in supporting small, medium and micro enterprises, tradefacilitation, e-commerce development, strengthening connectivity and narrowingdevelopment gap in the ASEAN.
Vietnam has actively participated in and proposed practicalcooperation initiatives targeting the people, in terms of social welfare,support for venerable people, education, health and disease prevention, environmentalprotection and climate change response.
Speaking at a ceremony to launch the National ASEAN 2020 Committee,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highlighted Vietnam's important role as theASEAN Chair in 2020, saying that this is both responsibility andopportunity for the country to enhance its position and role in the region andthe international arena.
Regarding the issue, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung,Secretary General of the National ASEAN 2020 Committee, said that Vietnam will do its utmost to maintainASEAN's development momentum, and lead ASEAN to become stronger, thusincreasing prestige and role of the bloc in the region.-VNA
VNA
