Former Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam will promote the role and contribution of ASEAN tomaintaining peace, security and stability in the region on the basis of strengtheningthe bloc’s unity during the year it chairs the ASEAN in 2020, according to a Vietnamesediplomat.
Speakingat a dialogue held in Hanoi on December 23 entitled “Driving ASEAN Forward:From Thailand’s chairmanship in 2019 to Vietnam’s cohesive and responsive ASEAN2020,” former Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said taking over Thailand’schairmanship, Vietnam will focus on building the community, connecting regionalinfrastructure and developing ties with partners.
“Thetheme of ASEAN 2020 ‘Cohesive and Responsive’ shows our wish to have an ASEANstanding firm to impacts of the regional and global situations,” said Vinh, whois also former leader of Vietnam’s ASEAN senior official meeting (SOM) delegation.
Hesaid Vietnam wants ASEAN to unite in all fields including institutions, economyand people, from which ASEAN can reach a common view on global and regionalissues.
Whilehighlighting Vietnam’s five priorities during its chairmanship of ASEAN in2020, Vinh also mentioned the country’s non-permanent membership in the UNSecurity Council in 2020-2021, noting that Vietnam will combine the twomissions and promote the sharing of experience between the international agencyand the regional bloc, thus contributing to promoting a peaceful, stable environmentin the region, advocating multilateralism and building a law-based ASEANregional structure./.
VNA
