ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) - Since joining the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 28, 1995, Vietnam has been an active participant and contributor to the regional integration journey and the Community-building process, said ASEAN Secretary-General DatoLim Jock Hoi.
In a written interview with the Vietnam News Agency(VNA)’s correspondent in Jakarta, Lim said during Vietnam’s holdingof ASEAN Chairmanship in 1998, 2010, and 2020, Hanoi readily displayed able anddecisive leadership in steering the region towards undertaking importantpriorities. One example is the Mid-TermReview (MTR) of the implementation of ASEAN Community 2025 Blueprints currentlybeing conducted. This is pivotal inassessing the progress and challenges, while addressing the implementation gapsof the three pillars. Another example isRCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) which is the ASEAN-driventrade pact deemed as the largest global trade agreement comprising all keyAsian economies.
TheASEAN Secretary-General stressed that Vietnam has further raised the bloc’sinternational profile in the past 25 years. For example, as Vietnam officially beganits term as President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as part ofits stint as a non-permanent UNSC member for 2020-2021 term, Hanoi has set out prioritieswith issues that it considers of significance and where it can also play animportant role, including, among others, climate change, and coordinationbetween the UN and ASEAN.
Economically, Vietnam has proactively reached out to the global market by signing numerous trade agreements – both bilaterally andmultilaterally – with different partners. Two latest examples would be CPTPP (Comprehensive and ProgressiveAgreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), and EuropeanUnion (EU)-Vietnam Free Trade Agreementand EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement.
Thereis no doubt that Vietnam has successfully integrated itself to the ASEANfamily, since its joining. According to aPwC study, Vietnam’s GDP will be among the world’s top 20 by 2050, in purchasingpower parity (PPP) terms. Its economicsuccess, political stability and visionary leadership, coupled with the vibrantenergy of its people, are assets to the ASEAN Community building.
Givenits geographical location, Vietnam plays an important role in taking the leadin strengthening linkages between ASEAN mainland and the rest of the region, inparticular on global emerging issues like climate change, biodiversity, marinedebris, agriculture, and sustainable environment, especially along the Mekongsub-region.
RegardingVietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship, Lim noted that 2020 started off as an importantyear for ASEAN. While COVID-19 hasslightly derailed some of its events and initiatives, ASEAN has stayed focusedin undertaking important milestone exercises, as the region demonstratescommitment in its integration journey. The MTR of the implementation of ASEAN Community 2025 Blueprints andRCEP are examples.
Of course, the foremost challengenow is for the region to continue to work closely together in overcoming the COVID-19pandemic with swiftness, openness and cohesiveness. In this regard, Vietnam has done extremelywell in initiating practical measures to tackle this issue, especially inaddressing the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19. Working in close collaboration with Thailand,Vietnam has led the establishing of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. ASEAN would also launch a Regional Reservefor Medical Supplies, and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Public HealthEmergencies.
Other priorities include laying thegroundwork to prepare ASEAN in adapting to andthriving in the era of Industrial 4.0, including bridging the digital divide,and working towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economy andsociety.
Whileevaluating ASEAN’s achievements,values and identities, the Secretary-General said that on the whole, ASEAN has done well inits 53 years of integration journey. Variousmechanisms of cooperation have been continued to be put in place under therespective sectors within its political-security, economic, and socio-cultural spheresof its Community building process between ASEAN and its external partners.
Since its inception in 1967, ASEANhas successfully provided and maintained peace, prosperity and security in the region,thereby allowing each member state to undertakenational cum economic development, and to thrive and integrate within theregion and into the global economy. With the closer market integration, itwas able to build and create an “investor-friendly” business environment. Today, ASEAN finds itself to be the 5th largest global economy and 3rd most attractive international investmentdestination. It is also the world’s 4th largest trading region.
As ASEAN becomes moreeconomically-competitive, it brings better employment opportunities to its 680million populace. With better jobs, it leadsto raising living standards and alleviating poverty of theASEAN people. With higher income, it ledto the expansion of the middle class, with families having more disposableincome, and the youth receiving betteraccess to education. This further led togreater people-to-to-people movements in the region, e.g. tourism,students-exchange, and youth volunteerism/internships. These developments resulted in an enhancedand conducive environment for us to undertake broaderawareness-raising and deeper identity-building, as we promote “ASEAN: A Community of Opportunities forAll”.
On the bloc’s future stature, theASEAN chief said the emergence of Asia is indeed exciting times, and ASEAN iswell-positioned to showcase the prospects of the so-called “Asian century”.
As a start, an ASEAN with enhancedpolitical cohesion, economic integration and social responsibility, will continueto work with likeminded nations and states towards a dynamic, inclusive and openglobal community where prosperity and responsibility for peace and security areshared by all.
Withinthe grouping, ASEAN would maintain and strive to be a responsible, open,rules-based, and globally connected player that actively participates in globalvalue chains and supply-chain connectivity. ASEAN would also continuously strengthen its cooperation mechanisms andresources to be agile and resilient in addressing future challenges. In doing so, ASEAN would be ready to seizethe opportunities in the evolving regional and global environment./.
In a written interview with the Vietnam News Agency(VNA)’s correspondent in Jakarta, Lim said during Vietnam’s holdingof ASEAN Chairmanship in 1998, 2010, and 2020, Hanoi readily displayed able anddecisive leadership in steering the region towards undertaking importantpriorities. One example is the Mid-TermReview (MTR) of the implementation of ASEAN Community 2025 Blueprints currentlybeing conducted. This is pivotal inassessing the progress and challenges, while addressing the implementation gapsof the three pillars. Another example isRCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) which is the ASEAN-driventrade pact deemed as the largest global trade agreement comprising all keyAsian economies.
TheASEAN Secretary-General stressed that Vietnam has further raised the bloc’sinternational profile in the past 25 years. For example, as Vietnam officially beganits term as President of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as part ofits stint as a non-permanent UNSC member for 2020-2021 term, Hanoi has set out prioritieswith issues that it considers of significance and where it can also play animportant role, including, among others, climate change, and coordinationbetween the UN and ASEAN.
Economically, Vietnam has proactively reached out to the global market by signing numerous trade agreements – both bilaterally andmultilaterally – with different partners. Two latest examples would be CPTPP (Comprehensive and ProgressiveAgreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), and EuropeanUnion (EU)-Vietnam Free Trade Agreementand EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement.
Thereis no doubt that Vietnam has successfully integrated itself to the ASEANfamily, since its joining. According to aPwC study, Vietnam’s GDP will be among the world’s top 20 by 2050, in purchasingpower parity (PPP) terms. Its economicsuccess, political stability and visionary leadership, coupled with the vibrantenergy of its people, are assets to the ASEAN Community building.
Givenits geographical location, Vietnam plays an important role in taking the leadin strengthening linkages between ASEAN mainland and the rest of the region, inparticular on global emerging issues like climate change, biodiversity, marinedebris, agriculture, and sustainable environment, especially along the Mekongsub-region.
RegardingVietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship, Lim noted that 2020 started off as an importantyear for ASEAN. While COVID-19 hasslightly derailed some of its events and initiatives, ASEAN has stayed focusedin undertaking important milestone exercises, as the region demonstratescommitment in its integration journey. The MTR of the implementation of ASEAN Community 2025 Blueprints andRCEP are examples.
Of course, the foremost challengenow is for the region to continue to work closely together in overcoming the COVID-19pandemic with swiftness, openness and cohesiveness. In this regard, Vietnam has done extremelywell in initiating practical measures to tackle this issue, especially inaddressing the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19. Working in close collaboration with Thailand,Vietnam has led the establishing of the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. ASEAN would also launch a Regional Reservefor Medical Supplies, and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Public HealthEmergencies.
Other priorities include laying thegroundwork to prepare ASEAN in adapting to andthriving in the era of Industrial 4.0, including bridging the digital divide,and working towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economy andsociety.
Whileevaluating ASEAN’s achievements,values and identities, the Secretary-General said that on the whole, ASEAN has done well inits 53 years of integration journey. Variousmechanisms of cooperation have been continued to be put in place under therespective sectors within its political-security, economic, and socio-cultural spheresof its Community building process between ASEAN and its external partners.
Since its inception in 1967, ASEANhas successfully provided and maintained peace, prosperity and security in the region,thereby allowing each member state to undertakenational cum economic development, and to thrive and integrate within theregion and into the global economy. With the closer market integration, itwas able to build and create an “investor-friendly” business environment. Today, ASEAN finds itself to be the 5th largest global economy and 3rd most attractive international investmentdestination. It is also the world’s 4th largest trading region.
As ASEAN becomes moreeconomically-competitive, it brings better employment opportunities to its 680million populace. With better jobs, it leadsto raising living standards and alleviating poverty of theASEAN people. With higher income, it ledto the expansion of the middle class, with families having more disposableincome, and the youth receiving betteraccess to education. This further led togreater people-to-to-people movements in the region, e.g. tourism,students-exchange, and youth volunteerism/internships. These developments resulted in an enhancedand conducive environment for us to undertake broaderawareness-raising and deeper identity-building, as we promote “ASEAN: A Community of Opportunities forAll”.
On the bloc’s future stature, theASEAN chief said the emergence of Asia is indeed exciting times, and ASEAN iswell-positioned to showcase the prospects of the so-called “Asian century”.
As a start, an ASEAN with enhancedpolitical cohesion, economic integration and social responsibility, will continueto work with likeminded nations and states towards a dynamic, inclusive and openglobal community where prosperity and responsibility for peace and security areshared by all.
Withinthe grouping, ASEAN would maintain and strive to be a responsible, open,rules-based, and globally connected player that actively participates in globalvalue chains and supply-chain connectivity. ASEAN would also continuously strengthen its cooperation mechanisms andresources to be agile and resilient in addressing future challenges. In doing so, ASEAN would be ready to seizethe opportunities in the evolving regional and global environment./.
VNA
