On the behalf of the ASEAN Committee, Vietnamese Ambassador Le Viet Duyen presents the donation of medical supplies to help the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs fight the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of the Embassy of Vietnam in Venezuela)Buenos Aires (VNA) – The Embassies of ASEAN member states in Venezuela held a ceremony in Caracas on August 7 to celebrate the 53rd founding anniversary of the regional grouping, with Venezuelan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asia, the Middle East and Oceania Ruben Molina in attendance.
Speaking on the behalf of the ASEAN Committee in Caracas, Vietnamese Ambassador Le Viet Duyen highlighted achievements made by ASEAN in recent years, saying that with a population of more than 679 million and GDP of over 3 trillion USD, the bloc has become one of the world’s most successful regional organisations and an important partner of many countries around the world.
ASEAN has entered a new era of development with a target of building the ASEAN Community based on three pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, and Socio-Cultural Community, he said.
This year is significant to building the ASEAN Community in the ASEAN Vision 2025 and to strengthening relations with its partners, he said, adding that against the backdrop of regional and global uncertainties, ASEAN has always maintained its unity and consensus on dealing with issues regarding regional peace and security.
He further noted that in the face of rising global trade tensions and protectionism, ASEAN is committed to promoting trading of goods and capital among member states and accelerating negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between ASEAN nations and six partners, including China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.
As ASEAN Chair this year, Vietnam has given priority to closely coordinating with other member states to uphold ASEAN’s centrality in maintaining peace, security and stability in the region, fostering intra-bloc connectivity and integration, seizing opportunities from the fourth Industrial Revolution, raising community awareness and identity, enhancing cooperation with partners for peace and sustainable development, and promoting ASEAN’s role and contributions to the global community.
Duyen vowed to work closely the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry to strengthen and expand relations between the two sides.
He took the occasion to present the ASEAN’s donation of medical supplies to help the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
For his part, Molina voiced his hope to further reinforce ties between Venezuela and ASEAN as well as Venezuela and the bloc’s member states. He particularly expected that Venezuela will soon sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) with ASEAN./.
VNA
