Hanoi (VNA) – Over half a century, ASEANhas brought great benefits to Southeast Asian and Asian-Pacific countries by providinga peaceful and stable environment for development, and an open cooperationspace, stated DeputyForeign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung.
Addressing the “ASEAN Post 50 andVietnam” symposium in Hanoi on November 30, Dung, who is head of the ASEAN SOMof Vietnam, said that 2018 is the first year of the next 50 years of the bloc.
The way ahead of the association will not be smooth asits surrounding regions and global environment are changing fast in anunpredictable manner, and especially when its community has been formed just threeyears, he said.
Dungexpressed his hope that participants will have an overview of the grouping’snew path, point out its urgent issues, and define development orientations andproper steps in the future.
Theevent is also an important preparatory step for Vietnam to assume the ASEANChair in 2020, he added.
Dr.Hoang Anh Tuan, ASEAN Deputy General Secretary for Politicaland Security Community said that in order to firmly maintain its central roleand deal with challenges from the world’s powers as well as effects from theUS-China trade tension, ASEAN should focus on building a single voice whenfacing regional and global matters, and strengthening its self-reliance.
AmbassadorNguyen Nguyet Nga, Vice Chair of the Vietnam NationalCommittee for Pacific Economic Cooperation, asserted thatpeace, stability, cooperation and connection are the major trend amidst theincreasing geopolitical transformation.
AmbassadorNga underlined the need for ASEAN to become one of the pioneering mechanisms topromote multilateral partnership, global governance, and the implementation ofsustainable development goals.
Vietnamshould continue making contributions to affirming the role of the grouping,especially its position as a major political motivation for the new evolvingarchitecture in the Asia-Pacific region, she said.-VNA
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