Delegates attend the flag raising ceremony in Hanoi on August 8 (Source: VNA)The event was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui ThanhSon, Deputy Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep, andVice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Van Suu, among others.
Foreign guests at the ceremony included head of thediplomatic corps in Hanoi and Ambassador of Venezuela Jorge Rondon Uzcategui,and Ambassadors and embassy representatives of ASEAN member countries and ASEANpartner countries in the capital city.
Addressing the ceremony, Deputy FM Bui Thanh Son emphasised thatthe founding of the ASEAN Community in 2015 is a historic milestone in theconnectivity process of ASEAN. It also bears special significance to theassociation, the region and each member nation.
The deputy minister noted that with a population of 630million, GDP of almost 3,000 billion USD and a growth rate of 4.7 percent in2016, ASEAN is the driving force of the regional economy.
He went on to say that as a prestigious organisation inAsia-Pacific, ASEAN operates based on the ASEAN Charter and uniform values andprinciples. The ASEAN way is built on the foundation of the Eastern culture, attachingimportance to solidarity and common prosperity, tolerance and harmoniousinterests, which helped ASEAN achieve success over the past five decades.
[Photo exhibition marks ASEAN’s 50th anniversary in Hanoi]
Deputy Minister Son highlighted that ASEAN cooperation isone of the top priorities in Vietnam’s foreign diplomacy, and the country isproud about its active, proactive participation and considerable contributionsto the cooperation process and building of the ASEAN Community. During theprocess, Vietnam has been involved in the drafting of major orientations forthe bloc’s development. The country has also put forth many initiatives onmaintaining a security and stable environment for cooperation in the region.
The deputy minister expressed his belief in an ASEAN blocbuilding on past achievements and growing strongly in the future.
He said in a changeable world situation, ASEAN’s achievementsof cooperation in general and of economic-trade development in particular provethat the bloc has made the right choice in its guidelines and policies.
The flag raising ceremony on the annual anniversary of ASEANhas become a tradition for all ASEAN member countries, reflecting the respectfor the bloc’s common value and commitment to regional people.-VNA
VNA
