Phnom Penh (VNA) – The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation held a flag-raising ceremony in Phnom Penh on August 8 to mark the 57th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The event saw the presence of ambassadors of ASEAN countries to Cambodia, including Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Huy Tang, along with representatives of many other countries' diplomatic missions.
Chairing the event, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sok Chenda Sophea underscored ASEAN’s central role in dialogue and cooperation between the bloc and external partners.
This role, he noted, is instrumental in maintaining peace, stability, and prosperity across Southeast Asia, reflecting the bloc's unwavering commitment to economic dynamism and cultural connectivity.
Against a backdrop of the shifting geopolitical landscape, ASEAN's centrality and increasing prominence serves as a "beacon" for friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. This is evident in the growing number of non-regional countries that have expressed interest in joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, he said.
ASEAN will continue to bring peace, stability, and prosperity to its citizens in the spirit of cooperation and sustainability, he stressed.
From its humble beginnings with a population of around 260 million, ASEAN, set up on August 8, 1967, has grown into a powerhouse, now home to over 650 million people. The bloc represents a market brimming with potential and is projected to become the world's fourth largest economy by 2050. Its most notable achievement over the past 57 years is the maintenance of peace and stability in Southeast Asia, with member countries forging increasingly robust cooperative ties./.
