Vietnam stresses ASEAN’s commitment to enhance development cooperation

From an organisation born out of suspicion and confrontation in Southeast Asia, ASEAN has become one of the most successful regional organisations in the world on three fronts.

ASEAN is now a community with an increasing level of connectivity on all three pillars of politics-security, economy, and culture-society.

It has become one of the most dynamically developing regions in the world with a GDP of about $3.3 trillion last year. It is also the fifth-largest economy in the world, benefiting about 680 million people in the region.

Under the guidance of Vietnam during the country’s 2020 chairmanship, ASEAN has shown the initiative to adapt and promptly switch meetings and activities to the online format throughout the pandemic, thereby maintaining the momentum of regional cooperation and linkages and community-building efforts.

ASEAN has shrewdly and effectively handled the competition among major countries through a balanced and harmonised approach on the basis of ensuring operating principles as well as procedures of mechanisms/forums.

At the same time, ASEAN has also expressed an independent and neutral stance, wishing major countries to compete in a fair and responsible manner and contribute to the region’s peace, stability, and prosperity.

Việt Nam is proud to be a responsible and active member of the association with significant contributions to developing ASEAN.

Since its establishment, despite differences in religion, development level, infrastructure and information technology, member countries have always supported, helped and developed together in all fields.

ASEAN has proved its important role in making Southeast Asia into a peaceful, prosperous and stable region.

The most important success of ASEAN over the past five decades is to ensure peace and stability in Southeast Asia and member countries have built co-operative relations which have continuously developed.

Human rights and basic freedom rights have been promoted and protected.

Việt Nam has demonstrated its goodwill, efforts, enthusiasm and responsibility, making significant contributions to the common achievements of ASEAN.

Việt Nam has introduced many initiatives which were put into practice, including the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting with its partners (ADMM+) and the establishment of the ASEAN Commission on Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children.

Việt Nam has played a key role in defining development goals and orientations as well as formulating major policies of ASEAN such as the ASEAN Charter, the 2015 ASEAN Community Construction Roadmap, the Vision 2020 and many other important agreements.

Việt Nam has fulfilled its role in connecting, expanding and deepening relations between ASEAN and strategic partners such as China, the US, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the EU, Australia and India.

Việt Nam has led and co-ordinated joint efforts of ASEAN and its co-operation with partners to prevent the spread of the disease and mitigate the pandemic’s socio-economic impacts.

Vietnam has helped the bloc grow in size, strength, and organisation, and facilitating ASEAN become a strong entity.

Vietnam understands its membership responsibility and contributes to the common achievements of ASEAN.

We have participated fully and extensively in the implementation of cooperation activities in the fields of politics-security, economy, and culture-society.

Vietnam is one of the countries with a high rate of implementation of ASEAN linkage programmes and measures.