Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh chaired a ceremony on July 28 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Vietnam’s entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 28, 1995, and the bloc’s formation 48 years ago on August 8, 1967.

The Deputy PM said the formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of 2015 will have a significant impact on all member states and the region.

He said that based on the pillars of politics, security, economy and culture, the ASEAN Community would improve the solidarity of the people, help reduce tension and disputes and build peace, cooperation and development in the region.

He continued to say that ASEAN, with a population of more than 600 million and the seventh largest GDP in the world, would continue to play an important part in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the Asian-Pacific region.

To achieve that goal, every ASEAN member state must strive to overcome obstacles, seize opportunities and unite.

In addition, ASEAN must take a proactive approach in safeguarding the region’s peace and security by leading efforts to build trust, share common standards and code of conduct to prevent conflicts and settle disputes through peaceful means and in accordance with international law, he suggested.

The Deputy PM emphasised that over the past two decades, ASEAN has always been a priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy and international integration.

As an active member, Vietnam has contributed to building an ASEAN of close connections, solidarity and unity, and making the group play a central role in the forming regional structure, he added.

He affirmed that the Vietnamese Government and people will continue their important contributions to the development of the association, for practical interests of ASEAN people at present and in the future.

Minh stated that he was grateful for the support and friendship of ASEAN member states and partners in the last 20 years.

At the event, Indonesian Ambassador Mayerfas congratulated Vietnam on its 20-year ASEAN membership.

Speaking of Vietnam’s friendship and cooperation spirit in ASEAN, the diplomat confirmed that Indonesia, together with other member states, will continually collaborate closely and stand side by side with Vietnam in the time to come.

On this occasion, a set of stamps welcoming the ASEAN Community was exhibited. This is the first time ASEAN countries issue joint stamps and postmark. The stamps will be issued on August 8 in Indonesia.

Vietnam contributes to ASEAN’s most important development phase

July 28, 2015 marks 20 years since Vietnam joined ASEAN, which is also when the group has seen the most important, dynamic and comprehensive development, said Ambassador Nguyen Hoanh Nam, Head of the Vietnamese Permanent Representative delegation to ASEAN, in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency.

Nam said that over the past two decades, ASEAN has developed from an undisciplined group with six members to a 10 member-strong association operating based on legal principles of the ASEAN Charter.

By the end of this year, ASEAN will become an ASEAN Community and announce an ASEAN Community roadmap beyond 2015, opening up a new chapter for the bloc to engage in deeper and wider connectivity.

It is noteworthy that ASEAN has come to play an important role in forming, building and leading regional structures. Through initiating and chairing such forums and mechanisms as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), the group has been playing an important role in enhancing dialogue, building trust and preventing conflicts in Asia-the Pacific.

ASEAN’s relations with its partners have been expanded and deepened as well. The group has established dialogue partnerships with Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), New Zealand, Russia, the US and the European Union. It has also implemented free trade agreements (FTAs) with Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan and the RoK, and is negotiating a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Ambassador Nam stressed that Vietnam has done its utmost to work with other ASEAN member countries in an active, positive and responsible manner to achieve the successes.

Vietnam has contributed actively to the building process of the ASEAN Community from forming the idea to designing and implementing policies. In 1998, just 3 years after joining the group, the country chaired the sixth ASEAN Summit in Hanoi. Notably, the country successfully fulfilled the role as Chair of ASEAN in 2010 – an important period for the community building process. It was one of the first five countries to ratify the ASEAN Charter, and is considered one of the leading countries in completing tasks towards the formation of the community by the end of this year.

Vietnam is also among the most active countries in promoting intra-bloc unity and self-reliance and in boosting the group’s central role in the regional structure. The country has tirelessly worked with other members to overcome difficulties, particularly the 1997-1998 financial crisis.

Vietnam has made important contributions to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region, including assuring peace and maritime security and safety in the East Sea. The country continually upholds the importance of following the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation as a code of conduct which adjusts relations among nations in the region, be they big or small, especially the principles of not using or threatening to use force and addressing all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the diplomat confirmed that Vietnam always emphasises the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of aviation and maritime in the East Sea; restraining and avoiding actions that can complicate the status quo; not using or threatening to use force; addressing any disputes by peaceful measures with respect to international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; and fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) while working for an early formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Discussing the contributions of the Vietnamese delegation to ASEAN to the building of the ASEAN Community beyond 2015, Ambassador Nam said the delegation will continue to coordinate with the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN in putting political decision into specific action plans and working programmes as well as proposing solutions to arising challenges.

The delegation will work with agencies at home to complete Vietnam’s tasks towards the formation of the ASEAN Community in late 2015 and popularise opportunities brought by the community to the Vietnamese people, he said.

He continued to say that the delegation will also ensure updates on ASEAN activities as well as study and provide Vietnam with information and experience of other regional countries during their integration process.

Integration into ASEAN opens up a new stage for Vietnam, creating a peaceful, stable and prosperous environment and serving the country’s development goals. The delegation’s activities fall very much in line with these priorities, he added.

Vietnam’s membership of ASEAN deemed first breakthrough in int’l integration

Vietnam’s joining of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 20 years ago marked the country’s first breakthrough in international integration, contributing to the implementation of the Party’s foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told the press.

The decision to become a member of ASEAN is a sound strategic step of the Vietnamese Party and State given the bloc’s significant and substantial benefits, including the creation of a favourable international environment for Vietnam’s national cause of construction and defence, he said.

He continued that right after joining ASEAN, Vietnam played an active role in the admission of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar into the association, making the dream of an ASEAN inclusive of all 10 member nations to come true.

Vietnam has worked with other member states to drive ASEAN in the right direction, proven by Vietnam’s significant contribution to strategic documents such as the ASEAN Vision 2020, Declaration of ASEAN Concord II, ASEAN Charter, and 2009-2015 Roadmap for an ASEAN Community, he said.

At present, Vietnam is actively participating in building a post-2015 ASEAN Vision, focusing on deepening ASEAN connectivity, he added.

Just three years after entering ASEAN, Vietnam successfully hosted the sixth ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in December 1998.

The country also successfully fulfilled its role as ASEAN chairmanship in 2010.

It is noteworthy that Vietnam has played an active role in expanding and institutionalising the ASEAN relations framework with important partners. During its year as ASEAN chair, Vietnam demonstrated its strategic vision beyond the region via the admission of the US and Russia to the expanded East Asia Summit (EAS), the organisation of the first ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and the campaign to become an ASEAN representative to attend the G-20 Summit in the Republic of Korea and Canada.

Vietnam together with ASEAN has proven that the region’s future will be better envisaged through integration, dialogue and cooperation, Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh said.

He noted that Vietnam is leading members in implementing measures to build the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) with an impressive 93.5 percent compared to the average 90.5 percent of other member states.

Vietnam has also taken part in cooperation activities in politics-security, culture-society and external affairs, he stressed.

The establishment of the ASEAN Community will create both opportunities and challenges for Vietnam and the other member states.

The country has conditions to access to markets inside and outside the bloc, increase foreign investment and acquire experience in science-technology and human resources management and development to build and fine-tune domestic policies and regulations in line with international standards.

It is also becoming easier for Vietnam to expand and strengthen cooperation with partners outside the bloc and deepen its involvement in inter-regional and international collaboration frameworks to increase the country’s role and position in the world.

Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh also pointed to difficulties in promoting ASEAN connectivity and strengthening the association’s solidarity, unity and significant role in the region, mainly due to institutional differences, development gaps and national interests among member states.

Vietnam would face fierce competition during the implementation of commitments on economic links, he said, adding that the country should better prepare and make effective financial investments in the field such as adjusting domestic policies, regulations and administrative formalities in line with international commitments.

He explained the significance of the “people-centred” ASEAN theme this year as urging leaders of each member state to raise the sense of responsibility to ensure peace, stability, sustainable development; improve living standards for people; and create development opportunities for individuals and the community.

Each individual should be aware of the important and pragmatic benefits of ASEAN cooperation across politics-security, economics, culture and society, he said, adding that the Vietnamese Government encourages public engagement in ASEAN connectivity.-

VNA