Vietnam active in building ASEAN Community: Official

The 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 53) opens on September 9 (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has been doing its utmost alongside other ASEAN member states in realising the ASEAN Community, while fulfilling the Chairmanship 2020 for a cohesive and responsive ASEAN, said a Vietnamese official.

On the sidelines of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 53) which opened on September 9, Director of the ASEAN Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vu Ho said the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the regional and the world as well, causing adverse impacts in terms of community health, economic development and social stability.

Over the past eight months in its capacity as ASEAN Chair, Vietnam has displayed its leading role in gathering regional efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the bloc's centrality, he said.

Vietnam had put forth numerous initiatives which now officially become ASEAN initiatives in 2020. These initiatives include the COVID-19 Response Fund, the Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies and the Standard Operating Procedures.

“These initiatives form part of an ASEAN comprehensive recovery plan that not only support the joint response to the pandemic but also strengthen the bonds among ASEAN member states,” he underlined.

According to the official, as Chair of ASEAN 2020, Vietnam has hosted ASEAN conferences on all the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).

Ho said ASEAN has entered its 6th decade, and celebrated the 5th year of the ASEAN Community. The bloc has grown strongly to become the world’s 5th largest economy, a key actor that holds centrality in advancing dialogue and cooperation for peace, security and prosperity in the region.

AMM 53 is one of the highlights of Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year. The event consists of 20 meetings via video conference, joined by 27 delegations from the four continents of different time zones. They include the 21st ASEAN 3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 27th ASEAN Regional Forum.

In the framework of the event, 40 documents are expected to be adopted, including the AMM 53 Joint Communique./.