Expert highlights VN’s role on connecting Russia-ASEAN relations

Moscow (VNA) – Vietnam is serving as a bridge to connect the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in general and Russia in particular.

Head of the expert council of the Eurasian ideas foundation Grigory Trofimchuk made the evaluation in a story posted on Russia’s expert forum Realtribune.ru on November 9.

He wrote that many countries, including Russia, are paying more attention to ASEAN and Vietnam since Asia has proved to be a centre of global economic growth and finance over the past decades while Vietnam – as a rotational Chair of ASEAN – has endeavoured to expand the bloc’s relations with multiple partners.

Russia is now a comprehensive dialogue partner of ASEAN, he noted.

A favourable factor for the Russia-ASEAN ties is all of the bloc’s 10 member nations, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, have friendly relations with Russia, he said.

The expert said Vietnam has become more outstanding in recent years thanks to the country’s increasing political and economic influence in the region and the world.

He recognised Vietnam’s significant contributions to the development of ASEAN, adding that the special role of Vietnam in ASEAN was also hailed by participants at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok last September.-VNA