Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also Chair of ASEAN 2020, delivers his opening speech at the 36th ASEAN Summit (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – By successfully organising theteleconferenced 36th ASEAN Summit amid complex developments ofCOVID-19, Vietnam has once again affirmed its proactive and responsiblechairmanship of ASEAN in 2020, which is also the common assessment shared bymany foreign leaders and experts.
With statements adopted, including the “ASEAN Leaders’Vision Statement on A Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN: Rising Above Challengesand Sustaining Growth” and the “ASEAN Declaration on Human ResourcesDevelopment for the Changing World of Work”, the 36th ASEAN Summitand related meetings wrapped up successfully on June 26 as the 10 membercountries showed the unanimity to coordinate with one another to effective copewith the COVID-19 pandemic and promote socio-economic recovery in the region.
This is the first time a regular ASEAN summit has been heldonline during the 53-year history of the bloc.
ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi said the theme “cohesiveand responsive ASEAN” for Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year suits thecurrent context, and the 36th summit is a concrete demonstration ofthe bloc’s solidarity and leadership as seen in the strong regional cooperation.
He held that as ASEAN Chair, the country has done much andshown the strong leadership in guiding the region’s collective response to thepandemic. He also highly valued Vietnam’s contributions, especially itsassistance for some ASEAN members and dialogue partners in dealing withCOVID-19.
Under Vietnam’s guidance, activities have been carried outto set up the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, warehouses of medical supplies andstandard operating procedures in public health emergencies. The country hasalso launched discussions on the post-2025 ASEAN Vision.
These will help ASEAN be better cohesive and responsiveduring the regional integration process while adapting to the current “newnormal” status and learning important lessons, according to the Secretary-General.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith also spoke highly ofASEAN’s recent successes.
Meanwhile, Deputy ForeignMinister of Laos Thongphane Savanphet said Vietnam has fulfilled its roleas ASEAN Chair overthe past six months, and that despite numerous difficulties, Vietnam has ledASEAN countries in boosting cooperation against COVID-19 and in otheractivities. He expressed his belief that under Vietnam’s chairmanship, the blocwill continue to successfully carry out the initiatives and agreements itsmembers have put forth this year.
Echoing the view, CambodianPrime Minister Hun Sen said this time’s ASEAN summit reflected Vietnam’scapacity in guiding the bloc, regardless of difficulties caused by thecoronavirus outbreak.
Senior analyst Le Thu Huongat the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said ASEAN members believe inVietnam’s diplomatic capacity, even when the summit had to take place online.
Meanwhile, Ahmad IbrahimAlmutaqqi, Director of the ASEAN Studies Programme at Indonesia’s HabibieCentre, said the summit discussed not only measures to deal with COVID-19 butalso those for post-pandemic economic recovery. It was also an opportunity forASEAN, under the guidance of Vietnam as ASEAN Chair, to continue movingforward.
According to him, COVID-19has disrupted the bloc’s activities at a certain level, but Vietnam has doneits job well and strived to ensure the proper functioning of ASEAN, includingin organising high-level meetings.
Prof. Aleksius Jemadu, another Indonesian scholar,said Vietnam has played its role well in guiding ASEAN member states tomaintain the grouping’s central role and solidarity to sustain regionalstability.
He believed Vietnam is inthe best position to uphold the role of ASEAN leadership in this decisive time,adding that all ASEAN countries expect Vietnam to effectively play its role inuniting ASEAN and prioritising the promotion of ASEAN’s centrality during itschairmanship of the bloc.
Talking about the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Chheang Vannarith, President of thePhnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, said during its ASEAN Chairmanship this year,Vietnam has been effectively coordinating and promoting negotiations on theRCEP so as to reach consensus and finalise the talks although India opted outof the deal at the last minute.
The 36th ASEANSummit and the earlier Special ASEAN Summit and ASEAN 3 Summit on COVID-19response, held in April, are highlights of Vietnam’s chairmanship of the bloc.
The country has shown itsactiveness, proactiveness and sense of responsibility in guiding ASEAN to copewith unprecedented challenges, thereby helping to strengthen solidarity andunanimity of the grouping. These are also favourable prerequisites for it tofulfill its chairmanship role for the rest of 2020./.
VNA
