Today, 20 years ago, Vietnam officially became a member of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). As the countrycelebrates this monumental event, the year 2015 also witnesses the 48thanniversary of the bloc's establishment (August 8, 1967 – August 8,2015).
The following is an article written by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on these occasions:
In2015, Vietnam celebrates the 20th anniversary of the country's entranceto ASEAN, which coincides with the debut of ASEAN Community thisDecember. Vietnam's ASEAN entry is intertwined with the country's "doimoi" (renewal) process and gradual international integration. Vietnamtoo, has made significant contributions to the organisation's growth.This is an important opportunity for us to look back over the country'sgrowth and map out directions for the time to come.
The ASEANCommunity is now constituted by three major pillars of politicalsecurity community, economic community and socio-economic community. Aninter-Governmental organisation which is joined in politics, united ineconomics, held responsible for society and operates based on legalgrounds – this is the ASEAN Charter.
This is a great achievementthat ASEAN has worked towards for the last 48 years, marking a milestonein the process of regional linkage and creating more incentives forASEAN to enter a new phase of development and to enhance the efficiencyof its operations.
ASEAN has become a tight-knit political –economic entity that plays an important role in assuring peace, securityand development in the Asia-Pacific region. It is an essential partnerof many countries and international organisations, and is considered oneof the most successful regional cooperation organisations by the publicworldwide.
The success of ASEAN is indebted to numerouselements. First and foremost is that basic interests, vision, strongpolitical determination and tireless efforts are shared by membercountries, including Vietnam.
Vietnam officially entered ASEAN onJuly 28, 1975 but actual progress started years before. The countryjoined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) andbecame ASEAN observer in July, 1992 and took part in a number of thebody's activities since 1993.
Vietnam's membership in ASEAN hasalways influenced the Party and State's major foreign policy andinternational integration guidelines, which is appropriate withincreasing regionalisation.
Several principles
Ourprinciples are several. First, "to boost and expand relations with allcountries in the world, regardless of different socio-political regimes,and to exercise friendship, cooperation, and peaceful co-existencepolicies in order to further develop, as is suitable with the interestsof Vietnamese people and the world's common development tendency." Thisis regarded as the cornerstone of Vietnam's policy of internationalintegration.
Secondly, "to accelerate comprehensive and effectivecooperation with ASEAN member countries and countries in theAsia-Pacific region."
Thirdly, "to take active and responsiblesteps to join hands with member countries in order to build a stableASEAN Community, to increase relationship with partners, and to maintainand reinforce the important role of ASEAN within cooperative frameworksin the Asia-Pacific region."
Finally, "to strive together withASEAN member countries to build Southeast Asia into a peaceful, stableand prosperous region."
It can be said that each stage of Vietnam's ASEAN membership has gone hand-in-hand with renewed thought towards foreign affairs.
Rightafter joining ASEAN, Vietnam played an active role in the admission ofCambodia, Laos and Myanmar into the association, completing the visionof an ASEAN inclusive of all 10 Southeast Asian countries.
Theformation of ASEAN-10 has contributed to member countries building newrelationships that are friendlier, sustainable, long-standing,comprehensive, devoted to strengthening regional ties and to moving theASEAN Community forward.
Defining targets
Vietnam's rolein defining ASEAN's targets, navigating its future development andforming important policies is one of the country's most importantresponsibilities.
The country has contributed to importantdocuments such as the ASEAN Vision 2020 and implementation plans, theDeclaration of ASEAN Concord II, the ASEAN Charter, the 2009-2015Roadmap for an ASEAN Community, implementation plans for each communitypillar, the Action Plan for the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI)and Narrowing the Development Gap (NDG), the Master Plan, the MasterPlan on ASEAN Connectivity and more.
At present, Vietnam isactively participating in the building of the Post-2015 ASEAN Vision,which prioritises deepening ASEAN connectivity and basing it on laws andhumanitarian principles.
Vietnam has served well in the role ofASEAN president and hosted many big events. Just three years afterjoining ASEAN, Vietnam successfully organised the third ASEAN Summit inDecember, 1998. That summit produced the Hanoi Plan of Action,contributed to the association's development direction and helped ASEANovercome a regional financial crises.
Ministries, sectors, theNational Assembly and people's organisations have successfully hostedimportant ASEAN conferences and activities at all levels and in variousfields, thereby boosting ASEAN cooperation.
Specifically,Vietnam served as ASEAN president in 2010 producing pragmatic andeffective results. We helped concretise an important step in theestablishment of the ASEAN Community and increased the role and positionof ASEAN in the international arena.
Vietnam has become aresponsible member of the bloc. The country has proactively participatedin the bloc's numerous cooperation activities in areas of politics,economic, security, culture and international relations as well asnumerous of the bloc's agreements to realise the implementation of ASEANCommunity in 2015.
As a member state of ASEAN, Vietnam was ableto gain the support of other countries in regional matters of nationalsecurity and socio-economic development, especially the country's effortin safeguarding its interests and sovereignty in the East Sea.
Tradeagreements among ASEAN's states gave Vietnam better access to theregion's markets and international markets as well as opportunities toattract investment and enhance its international commercial links.
Vietnamwas also able to share its development experience with other memberstates, facilitate technology transfers, and improve others' managementcapacity and quality of labour force. The country is also betterpositioned to deal with global issues such as epidemics, naturaldisasters and climate change.
Not only was Vietnam's ASEAN memberstatus elevated, but the bloc also provided Vietnam with a platform toenhance its own relations and cooperation with the internationalcommunity.
Twenty years after becoming a part of ASEAN, Vietnamhas gained a better understanding of the opportunities, advantages andchallenges faced by the region. We have learned many valuable lessons.
ASEAN development
Thefuture development of ASEAN will include many opportunities andchallenges that require Vietnam and other member states to improve theircooperation and readiness to ensure the region's interests.
Firstly,we need to raise the awareness of the strategic importance of Vietnam'sparticipation in ASEAN, resulting in proper attention and investment inour country's resources. The ASEAN region is a crucial part ofVietnam's socio-economic development and national security; it serves asa gateway for the country to establish links with the internationalcommunity and facilitate its global integration process.
Secondly,Vietnam must continue to maintain its approach as a "proactive,positive and responsible" member to build a united ASEAN, whose role inthe region will only become more important.
Thirdly, relevantdomestic agencies need to map out policies and measures suitable to thenature and level of their involvement with ASEAN activity in order tomaximise the efficiency of Vietnam's participation in the bloc.
TheASEAN Community is an intergovernmental cooperation organisationoperating on the basis of national sovereignty and equality. The groupis a "unity in diversity" community with big differences insocio-political systems and development levels of its members.
So,while it is necessary to follow principles, the measures it takes andthe modes of implementation must be flexible in order to take advantageof similarities, reduce differences, and enhance unity and cooperationwithin ASEAN. This will contribute to gradually improving the quality of"unity in diversity," staying in-line with the association's objectivesand principles, and balancing national with regional interests.
Fourthly,participation via ASEAN's cooperation mechanisms is formally carriedout by the Government but requires the combined effort, positiveinvolvement and close coordination of ministries, sectors and peoplefrom all walks of life, especially enterprises.
ASEAN activitiesare diverse and complicated, taking place in all fields from politicsto security and from economics to culture. They also occur betweenASEAN's ten member countries, the Southeast Asian region, and betweenthe bloc and leading global partners.
The process of regionaland international integration creates new and complicated issues of aninterdisciplinary nature that impact people at all levels.
Fifthly,Vietnamese laws and regulations need to be examined and corrected oftento facilitate the implementation of regional commitments. It will benecessary to increase the number of staff and units in charge ofASEAN-related works in each agency and to promote communication to raisepublic awareness of ASEAN and Vietnam's participation in theassociation.
Vietnam believes that, with its 20 years ofexperience of cooperation within ASEAN, it has become a proactive andresponsible member of the bloc. With the country's increasing role inthe region and the world, and with its efforts and politicaldetermination, Vietnam will continue to uphold its responsibilities.
Thecountry will work to further the ASEAN Community, which will show theworld the close connection among its member nations and play animportant role in maintaining peace, security and prosperity in theregion.-VNA
The following is an article written by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on these occasions:
In2015, Vietnam celebrates the 20th anniversary of the country's entranceto ASEAN, which coincides with the debut of ASEAN Community thisDecember. Vietnam's ASEAN entry is intertwined with the country's "doimoi" (renewal) process and gradual international integration. Vietnamtoo, has made significant contributions to the organisation's growth.This is an important opportunity for us to look back over the country'sgrowth and map out directions for the time to come.
The ASEANCommunity is now constituted by three major pillars of politicalsecurity community, economic community and socio-economic community. Aninter-Governmental organisation which is joined in politics, united ineconomics, held responsible for society and operates based on legalgrounds – this is the ASEAN Charter.
This is a great achievementthat ASEAN has worked towards for the last 48 years, marking a milestonein the process of regional linkage and creating more incentives forASEAN to enter a new phase of development and to enhance the efficiencyof its operations.
ASEAN has become a tight-knit political –economic entity that plays an important role in assuring peace, securityand development in the Asia-Pacific region. It is an essential partnerof many countries and international organisations, and is considered oneof the most successful regional cooperation organisations by the publicworldwide.
The success of ASEAN is indebted to numerouselements. First and foremost is that basic interests, vision, strongpolitical determination and tireless efforts are shared by membercountries, including Vietnam.
Vietnam officially entered ASEAN onJuly 28, 1975 but actual progress started years before. The countryjoined the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) andbecame ASEAN observer in July, 1992 and took part in a number of thebody's activities since 1993.
Vietnam's membership in ASEAN hasalways influenced the Party and State's major foreign policy andinternational integration guidelines, which is appropriate withincreasing regionalisation.
Several principles
Ourprinciples are several. First, "to boost and expand relations with allcountries in the world, regardless of different socio-political regimes,and to exercise friendship, cooperation, and peaceful co-existencepolicies in order to further develop, as is suitable with the interestsof Vietnamese people and the world's common development tendency." Thisis regarded as the cornerstone of Vietnam's policy of internationalintegration.
Secondly, "to accelerate comprehensive and effectivecooperation with ASEAN member countries and countries in theAsia-Pacific region."
Thirdly, "to take active and responsiblesteps to join hands with member countries in order to build a stableASEAN Community, to increase relationship with partners, and to maintainand reinforce the important role of ASEAN within cooperative frameworksin the Asia-Pacific region."
Finally, "to strive together withASEAN member countries to build Southeast Asia into a peaceful, stableand prosperous region."
It can be said that each stage of Vietnam's ASEAN membership has gone hand-in-hand with renewed thought towards foreign affairs.
Rightafter joining ASEAN, Vietnam played an active role in the admission ofCambodia, Laos and Myanmar into the association, completing the visionof an ASEAN inclusive of all 10 Southeast Asian countries.
Theformation of ASEAN-10 has contributed to member countries building newrelationships that are friendlier, sustainable, long-standing,comprehensive, devoted to strengthening regional ties and to moving theASEAN Community forward.
Defining targets
Vietnam's rolein defining ASEAN's targets, navigating its future development andforming important policies is one of the country's most importantresponsibilities.
The country has contributed to importantdocuments such as the ASEAN Vision 2020 and implementation plans, theDeclaration of ASEAN Concord II, the ASEAN Charter, the 2009-2015Roadmap for an ASEAN Community, implementation plans for each communitypillar, the Action Plan for the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI)and Narrowing the Development Gap (NDG), the Master Plan, the MasterPlan on ASEAN Connectivity and more.
At present, Vietnam isactively participating in the building of the Post-2015 ASEAN Vision,which prioritises deepening ASEAN connectivity and basing it on laws andhumanitarian principles.
Vietnam has served well in the role ofASEAN president and hosted many big events. Just three years afterjoining ASEAN, Vietnam successfully organised the third ASEAN Summit inDecember, 1998. That summit produced the Hanoi Plan of Action,contributed to the association's development direction and helped ASEANovercome a regional financial crises.
Ministries, sectors, theNational Assembly and people's organisations have successfully hostedimportant ASEAN conferences and activities at all levels and in variousfields, thereby boosting ASEAN cooperation.
Specifically,Vietnam served as ASEAN president in 2010 producing pragmatic andeffective results. We helped concretise an important step in theestablishment of the ASEAN Community and increased the role and positionof ASEAN in the international arena.
Vietnam has become aresponsible member of the bloc. The country has proactively participatedin the bloc's numerous cooperation activities in areas of politics,economic, security, culture and international relations as well asnumerous of the bloc's agreements to realise the implementation of ASEANCommunity in 2015.
As a member state of ASEAN, Vietnam was ableto gain the support of other countries in regional matters of nationalsecurity and socio-economic development, especially the country's effortin safeguarding its interests and sovereignty in the East Sea.
Tradeagreements among ASEAN's states gave Vietnam better access to theregion's markets and international markets as well as opportunities toattract investment and enhance its international commercial links.
Vietnamwas also able to share its development experience with other memberstates, facilitate technology transfers, and improve others' managementcapacity and quality of labour force. The country is also betterpositioned to deal with global issues such as epidemics, naturaldisasters and climate change.
Not only was Vietnam's ASEAN memberstatus elevated, but the bloc also provided Vietnam with a platform toenhance its own relations and cooperation with the internationalcommunity.
Twenty years after becoming a part of ASEAN, Vietnamhas gained a better understanding of the opportunities, advantages andchallenges faced by the region. We have learned many valuable lessons.
ASEAN development
Thefuture development of ASEAN will include many opportunities andchallenges that require Vietnam and other member states to improve theircooperation and readiness to ensure the region's interests.
Firstly,we need to raise the awareness of the strategic importance of Vietnam'sparticipation in ASEAN, resulting in proper attention and investment inour country's resources. The ASEAN region is a crucial part ofVietnam's socio-economic development and national security; it serves asa gateway for the country to establish links with the internationalcommunity and facilitate its global integration process.
Secondly,Vietnam must continue to maintain its approach as a "proactive,positive and responsible" member to build a united ASEAN, whose role inthe region will only become more important.
Thirdly, relevantdomestic agencies need to map out policies and measures suitable to thenature and level of their involvement with ASEAN activity in order tomaximise the efficiency of Vietnam's participation in the bloc.
TheASEAN Community is an intergovernmental cooperation organisationoperating on the basis of national sovereignty and equality. The groupis a "unity in diversity" community with big differences insocio-political systems and development levels of its members.
So,while it is necessary to follow principles, the measures it takes andthe modes of implementation must be flexible in order to take advantageof similarities, reduce differences, and enhance unity and cooperationwithin ASEAN. This will contribute to gradually improving the quality of"unity in diversity," staying in-line with the association's objectivesand principles, and balancing national with regional interests.
Fourthly,participation via ASEAN's cooperation mechanisms is formally carriedout by the Government but requires the combined effort, positiveinvolvement and close coordination of ministries, sectors and peoplefrom all walks of life, especially enterprises.
ASEAN activitiesare diverse and complicated, taking place in all fields from politicsto security and from economics to culture. They also occur betweenASEAN's ten member countries, the Southeast Asian region, and betweenthe bloc and leading global partners.
The process of regionaland international integration creates new and complicated issues of aninterdisciplinary nature that impact people at all levels.
Fifthly,Vietnamese laws and regulations need to be examined and corrected oftento facilitate the implementation of regional commitments. It will benecessary to increase the number of staff and units in charge ofASEAN-related works in each agency and to promote communication to raisepublic awareness of ASEAN and Vietnam's participation in theassociation.
Vietnam believes that, with its 20 years ofexperience of cooperation within ASEAN, it has become a proactive andresponsible member of the bloc. With the country's increasing role inthe region and the world, and with its efforts and politicaldetermination, Vietnam will continue to uphold its responsibilities.
Thecountry will work to further the ASEAN Community, which will show theworld the close connection among its member nations and play animportant role in maintaining peace, security and prosperity in theregion.-VNA
