Viet Nam Human Rights
ASEAN promoting solidarity in the new context
10/8/14
August 8th, the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrated
the 47th anniversary of the founding associations (8/8 / 1967-8 / 82014).
For 47 years, ASEAN has continuously expanded cooperation and links.
ASEAN has undergone a special journey
before becoming an organization consisting of 10 members
as today. The development of ASEAN is a result of the
solidarity and relentless efforts
of the ASEAN
in the process of building community
that based on three pillars of political-security, economic and
socio-cultural.
On the political-security pillar, the Bangkok
Declaration that marked the birth of ASEAN in 1967 had clearly specified the
goal of making joint efforts and sacrifices to ensure for their peoples and for
posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity.
Since then, ASEAN has adopted many
important documents such as the Declaration of ASEAN Concord
(1976), the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC-1976), the South East Asia
Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SANWFZ-1995), the Declaration on Conduct of
Parties on the East
Sea (DOC-2002) and the
ASEAN Charter (2008). These documents have become standards for the relations
among ASEAN member countries as well as between ASEAN and its outside partners.
For these reasons, ASEAN has attracted
many major partners, with such big political-economic powers as the US, China,
the Republic of Korea, Japan, India and the EU continuing to enhance their ties
with the grouping through mechanisms initiated and led by ASEAN.
In the East Sea
issue, ASEAN has also demonstrated its role and responsibility in ensuring
peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in
the region. When China
illegally installed its rig in violation of Vietnam’s
continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, threatening security and
navigation safety in the East Sea, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting on May 10,
2014 issued a statement on the East
Sea, strongly reiterating
the principles on respecting international law, including the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea. The issuance of a statement dedicated to the East Sea
issue for the first time in 20 years demonstrates ASEAN’s common concern over
the tense developments in the East
Sea. The statement
confirms the bloc’s responsibility for peace and stability in the region as
well as its solidarity in the face of difficulties and challenges.
In the economic pillar, ASEAN works as
an important driving force for regional economic-trade linkages. Less than a
decade after the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Zone (AFTA) in 1992,
regional economic connectivity expanded to cover most major economic sectors
from trading in goods to trading in services and investment.
When the financial crisis enveloped Asia in 1997-1998, not a few opinions hastened to
forecast that ASEAN would draw back into trade protectionism. On the contrary,
it was ASEAN that breathed new life into economic-trade linkages in East Asia
with the formation of a network of Free Trade Zones with important partners in
the region (FTA+1) such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India,
Australia and New Zealand. In addition, ASEAN actively pushed forward a range
of economic-trade cooperative programmes with powers such as the US, Canada,
the EU and Russia.
Amid the gloomy global economic picture, ASEAN emerged as a bright spot with an
average growth of 5-6 percent even during the most difficult time of 2011-2012.
Together with political-security and
economic cooperation, socio-cultural ties is a pillar of the ASEAN Community
which aims for a harmonious, united, sharing and caring community of ASEAN
nations. At the same time, “unity in diversity” is also a unique feature of the
bloc, a regional characteristic treasured and respected by ASEAN countries.
Two years before the threshold of
entering the Community, ASEAN in general and Vietnam
in particular are having not only
chances and new opportunities, but also significant challenges
to overcome. The context of region and internation changes
rapidly with many
complicated and unpredictable things,
East Asia and
the Asia - Pacific region are
becoming the important centers of politics and economics of the world and the place of convergence and interference of all major
countries’ strategic interests.
To maintain and develop the
achievement, Vietnam,
together with other ASEAN member countries, have to carry out things following:
First of all, the bloc will devote
utmost resolve and endeavours to the successful building of the ASEAN
Community.
Secondly, ASEAN’s central role should
be strengthened and upheld in different aspects and scales. According to Minh,
ASEAN should continue to uphold its standards and codes of conduct such as its
Charter, the TAC, SEANFWZ and DOC and using them as the foundation to build a
common code of conduct for the region as a whole, while promoting the building
of a multi-level regional structure in which ASEAN plays the core role. At the
same time, the bloc should shore up its internal economic strength to serve as
a basis for enhancing internal and external economic links.
Thirdly, mechanisms for both internal
cooperation and collaboration with partners should be strengthened in order to
respond timely and effectively to traditional and non-traditional security
challenges, particularly those related to territorial and sea and island
disputes, natural calamity, diseases and the environment.
Fourthly, a vision beyond 2015 for the
ASEAN Community should be build based on the accomplishments ASEAN has made
over the past nearly five decades. Minh said the year 2015 is just a milestone
marking ASEAN’s transition to a new period of regional cooperation at a higher
level towards more sustainable peace, deeper economic linkage and integration
and more practical benefits for the people.
As an integral part and a responsible
member of ASEAN, Vietnam’s
future will continue to bind with ASEAN on the road towards regional
connectivity and integration for peace, security, stability and prosperity for
600 million people of the bloc.
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All comments [ 10 ]
ASEAN will be successful, a new prosperous center of the world. When that time come, people all around the world will come to our region like we are coming to the West at the moment.
To Vietnam, joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a decision of great historical significance at both national and regional levels.
I agree with Mr. Hung Quan, at the national level, the decision paved the way for Vietnam to become more integrated into the region, allowing the country to join hands in building a regional environment of peace, stability and cooperation.
ASEAN should continue speeding up the building of a common market and stepping up trade facilitation process, making it easier to undertake dialogue with partners.
The bloc should also focus on strengthening economic connectivity among members by enhancing infrastructure, and pay more attention on sustainable development.
ASEAN aims to improve well-being and reduce poverty in its broadest sense in line with the goals and targets of the Millennium Development Goals
Vietnam will play an important role in ASEAN Community and Vietnamese people have to work hard to adapt and compete with other labour forces, workers, engineers from other country in the region and the world.
ASEAN should also take the initiative in proposing and building regional codes of conduct
At the same time, the association should improve its capacity in dealing with non-traditional challenges such as maritime security and safety, natural disasters and epidemics, which have become frequent and seriously affect residents in the region,
I deeply concern about recent development on the East Sea, If ASEAN cannot prevented, it would cause big problem to the peace, stability and development of the region. Therefore, we have to ensure the full and effective implementation of the DOC while working toward an early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), as well as the strict observance of international law and the UNCLOS.
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