Jakarta (VNA) - Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam’s keynote policy speech at a recent ceremony in Jakarta to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN contributes to promoting an approach that strengthens ASEAN integration, according to Indonesian scholars.
Beni Sukadis, Senior Researcher at the Indonesia Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (LESPERSSI), said that Lam’s visits to Indonesia and the ASEAN Secretariat have been widely recognised as a landmark diplomatic success between Vietnam and Indonesia, while serving as a proof of the strong bilateral relationship and solidarity within the ASEAN region.
In his policy speech, the Vietnamese Party leader highlighted the notable progress of ASEAN, emphasising the bloc's strong economic integration and its strategic approach in overcoming regional challenges, both traditional and non-traditional.
That the General Secretary praised ASEAN for its proactive efforts in promoting connectivity, boosting trade and investment, and maintaining peace and stability amid the rapidly changing global context serves as an encouragement for this spirit. The content of the speech also promotes ASEAN's approach that strengthens cohesion and the capacity to enhance sustainable development across the region.
Furthermore, Benni noted that the key directions for ASEAN to strengthen and reinforce its central role in the regional architecture, as mentioned by Lam, are also worth noting.
The Party chief emphasised the need to strengthen economic resilience, accelerate digital transformation, and enhance multilateralism to address emerging challenges. By advocating for a forward-looking and adaptive ASEAN, Lam reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to the unity and progress of the region, highlighting the importance of cooperation among ASEAN member states to ensure continuous prosperity and security in the region, the Indonesian researcher assessed.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor, Dr. Dinna Prapto Raharja, Senior Policy Advisor at the Synergy Policies Research and Training Institute, praised Party General Secretary To Lam for emphasising the importance of ASEAN in Vietnam's strategy to advance as a strong nation.
This demonstrates Vietnam's support for and promotion of cooperation with all Southeast Asian countries to bring about mutual benefits, she affirmed.
According to Dinna, the Vietnamese top leader's mention of a multipolar world and the challenges ASEAN faces in navigating these upheavals shows that ASEAN needs a stronger driving force.
However, the reality clearly indicates that other countries are also implementing various reforms and establishing different measures to ensure they are not left behind, the expert noted, believing that countries worldwide, in general, are not only focusing on economic cooperation but also paying attention to the impacts on political security and human welfare.
She affirmed that ASEAN needs to be present in this context, and expressed her pleasure that Vietnam has included ASEAN in this picture./.
