Jakarta (VNA) – As the Association of the Southeastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) celebrates its 58th founding anniversary (August 8) and Vietnam marks 30 years of its membership (July 28), ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn has underscored the country’s considerable role in maintaining stability and driving sustainable development in the region.
In a recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency, Kao underscored the country’s 30-year membership journey, praising its active role which has been reflected through the initiatives and proposals it has put forth.
He highlighted Vietnam’s active engagement in ASEAN’s cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN+1, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), helping consolidate the response capability while promoting collaboration institutions within the bloc.
Vietnam assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship for three times, with each tenure marked by substantial contributions not only in coordinating political-security and economic cooperation but also in attracting foreign investment to the region. The country has been particularly active in promoting cooperation across tourism, agriculture, and education, part of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community – politics-security, economy, and society-culture.
Boasting a population of more than 100 million, the third-largest in ASEAN after Indonesia and the Philippines, and impressive economic growth, Vietnam has become an important contributor to regional GDP and demonstrated an important role in maintaining regional peace, stability, and sustainable development, he said.
Kao expressed his confidence that with its obtained achievements, the country will make further contributions to the association.
The Secretary-General also pointed out digital transformation as a strategic priority for the region, with cooperation being accelerated across key areas of AI, access to new technologies, and negotiations for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement. He stressed that this is a domain where Vietnam is expected to play an outstanding role, given its big population, abundant young workforce, and increasing investments in digital infrastructure and human resources training to meet digital transformation demand.
He underscored ASEAN’s adaptability and resilience in the face of internal challenges and global headwinds, stating that peace, security, and prosperity remain ASEAN’s core interests. Mentioning the recently adopted ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the first 20-year strategic plan in the bloc’s history, he said peace and prosperity could not be taken for granted but require persistent efforts to surmount the challenges that are eroding the bloc's solidarity and unity.
As some challenges are observable while others need time to become clear, it is necessary to maintain a strong sense of the shared interest of a cohesive and resilient ASEAN Community playing the central role in the region, according to the Secretary-General./.
