At the seminar (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – An international seminar on theidentity and central role of the ASEAN Community took place in Hanoi on March19.
The event gathered over 100 representatives from the ForeignMinistry, embassies of ASEAN member states and dialogue partners in Vietnam, aswell as Vietnamese and international scholars.
Participants discussed opportunities and challenges to thebloc’ identity and central role in the current context, as well as the role ofdifferent social groups in building a people-centred ASEAN Community. They alsoshared experience and gave recommendations for Vietnam, as the country willbecome the rotating ASEAN Chair in 2020.
Assistant to the Vietnamese Minister of Foreign AffairsNguyen Van Thao said the five-decade development of the community based on itspast achievements and its importance to each member state and Southeast Asia aswell as the India-Asia-Pacific region in a broader sense have made its identityand central role, which determine the vitality and prospects of ASEAN in thecoming time.
Thao elaborated that the community’s identity aims atbuilding a people-centred ASEAN, connecting people from its member states.
He noted ASEAN’s central role has been applauded by itspartners and has contributed to sustaining peace and stability, protecting thebloc’s interests, as well as ensuring the member states’ voices to be heardregarding international issues.
Fostering the identity and central role is a key task thatrequires concerted efforts from all members, Thao said, adding that rotating ASEANchairs should lead the bloc to be linked in a common identity and beself-reliant and highly adaptive in a changing world.
Peter Girke, Country Representative of the German politicalfoundation Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Vietnam, said Vietnam, which isexcellent in community building, will benefit from the ASEAN Community whentaking over the chairmanship next year.
Former Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawaexpressed his confidence in Vietnam’s central role, vision, and leadership,which could push the community’s position to new heights.
Founded on August 8, 1967, the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations
(ASEAN) now comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
The ASEAN Community was established on December 31, 2015. The ASEAN Vision 2025was adopted the same year, focusing on building a people-centred community.-VNA
VNA
