Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh chairs the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian seniorjournalist Veeramalla Anjaiah voiced his hope that the 37th ASEAN Summit andrelated meetings will bring about positive results during an interview with theVietnam News Agency's correspondents in Jakarta.
He set high expectations for the mid-termreview of implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025, formulation of HanoiDeclaration on the Post ASEAN Vision 2025, evaluation of the ASEAN Charter, signingof the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), review of progress onASEAN Outlook on Indo Pacific, new signatories to the Treaty of Amity andCooperation and regional connectivity.
Most importantly, ASEAN and East AsiaSummit leaders will discuss strategies on how to contain COVID-19 and how to cooperate among themselves, he said.
As pharmaceutical companies recently announcedthe development of a vaccine candidate found to be more than 90 percenteffective in preventing COVID-19, ASEAN’s leaders will come up with constructiveplans about economic recovery, Anjaiah added.
The 37th ASEAN Summit and its relatedmeetings come at a crucial time, especially at the peak of COVID-19 pandemic. WhenVietnam took over ASEAN Chair from Thailand last year, the country made allpreparations to execute its plans but the pandemic made the situation verydifficult.
In April 2020, Vietnam took the lead toorganise an ASEAN gathering to deal with COVID-19.
“It was a big success for Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship. Throughout the year, all ASEAN meetings and summits were heldvirtually. Many of Vietnam’s targets have been achieved so far,” said thejournalist.
Another important achievement of Vietnamis maintaining ASEAN unity and solidarity. Vietnam’s ASEAN Chair theme“Cohesive and Responsive” is relevant and timely.
Despite of the challenges and problemsfrom COVID-19, Vietnam successfully led ASEAN throughout the year.
The Cabinet Secretariat of the Indonesiangovernment declared that Indonesia fully supports all initiatives of Vietnam asASEAN Chair. Many countries, including the US, Japan, India and Australia havepraised Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship.
The signing of RCEP will be an importantachievement during Vietnam’s Chairmanship if it is signed this week.
The country successfully united all ASEANcountries on the issues of rules-based order in the East Sea and legallybinding Code of Conduct in accordance with UNCLOS with China.
Anjaiah affirmed that Vietnam’s ASEAN leadership has navigatedthe troubled waters and maintained ASEAN unity, solidarity, cohesiveness,neutrality, peace and security./.
