Preparations for ASEAN Community formation basically completed

Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN member states all have confirmed that preparations for the establishment of the ASEAN Community have been basically completed. 

The ASEAN Community comprises three pillars: the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), of which the pace of work regarding the AEC is the fastest. To date, 91.5 percent of the 506 priority work items required for the formation of the community have been finished. 

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Thai Foreign Ministry Vitavas Chirapant said that the building of the ASEAN Community is a process, not an event, adding that measures towards the formation have been implemented in a certain order. 

Most difficulties in the process, including tax reduction and exemption have been removed, which is the manifestation of the complete preparation, he added. 

Meanwhile, President of the Malaysia-China Friendship Association Dato Abdul Majid told the press that Malaysia has finished preparations for the ASEAN Community. 

He stressed that the establishment of the ASEAN Community is just a beginning, and it will take a long time to achieve fully integration. 

At the upcoming ASEAN Summit, ASEAN leaders will approve a framework agreement on the AC development goals until 2025 in order to realise the integration process in more fields.-VNA