Enhancing ASEAN’s image and position in the region

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc meet with Singaporean business leaders while attending the 32nd ASEAN Summit in April in Singapore. (Photo: VNA)

Taking place at a time when the implementation of contents and initiatives of the 32nd ASEAN Summit has produced many positive results, the 33rd ASEAN Summit and related summits are an occasion for countries in the region to continue discussing orientations and measures aimed at promoting cooperation and linkage, helping the ASEAN Community to gradually become a pillar of peace, stability and development in the region.

At these summits, ASEAN leaders will not only discuss how to promote intra-regional linkage and cooperation under the theme “Resilient and Innovative ASEAN” but will also hold discussions with ASEAN’s partners on orientations to increase multi-faceted cooperation, such as economics, investment, trade, infrastructure, response to uncertainties in the world economy and dealing with global challenges.

Furthermore, the leaders will also exchange their opinions on regional and global issues of common interest, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.

As scheduled, the leaders will adopt seven documents at the 33rd ASEAN Summit, including those on the ASEAN Smart Cities Framework, climate change and post-disaster recovery, promotion of green jobs for equity and inclusive growth of the ASEAN Community.

Within the framework of the related summits, 24 documents on cooperation between ASEAN and its partners will also be adopted, focusing on substantive issues such as the digital economy, cybersecurity, disaster management, anti-terrorism and marine plastic waste treatment.

December 31, 2015, marked a historic milestone in the history of ASEAN with the birth of the ASEAN Community, which opened a new period of development for the association. The ASEAN Community is a culturally diverse community with a wealth of traditions. ASEAN is coming to an end of the third year implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and master plans to build the pillars of the community, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, with many promising results.

At the World Economic Forum on ASEAN (WEF ASEAN), September 2018, and the ASEAN Leaders’ Gathering for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, October 2018, ASEAN leaders agreed on many cooperation measures to further enhance the bloc’s capacity to respond to significant transformations of the global economy and maximise the opportunities brought about by the fourth industrial revolution. ASEAN’s partners also held various activities to affirm the importance of cooperating with ASEAN.

Since joining ASEAN in 1995, Vietnam has participated fully and extensively in political-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation activities and external relations; seriously implementing commitments and agreements, helping to realise the building of the ASEAN Community. The success of WEF ASEAN 2018 in Hanoi last September affirms Vietnam’s incessant determination and efforts in promoting ASEAN’s international integration, helping to maximise the potential of ASEAN in the age of the fourth industrial revolution.

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s attendance at the 33rd ASEAN Summit and related summits in Singapore aims to express Vietnam’s support for Singapore as Chair of ASEAN in 2018 while affirming Vietnam’s responsible contributions to enhancing solidarity, unity and the central role of ASEAN in the region, helping to build a resilient and innovative ASEAN for peace, stability, cooperation and development./.

NDO