July 28, 2015 marks 20 years since Vietnam joined ASEAN, which is also when the group has seen the most important, dynamic and comprehensive development, said Ambassador Nguyen Hoanh Nam, Head of the Vietnamese Permanent Representative delegation to ASEAN, in an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency.
Nam said that over the past two decades, ASEAN has developed from an undisciplined group with six members to a 10 member-strong association operating based on legal principles of the ASEAN Charter.
By the end of this year, ASEAN will become an ASEAN Community and announce an ASEAN Community roadmap beyond 2015, opening up a new chapter for the bloc to engage in deeper and wider connectivity.
It is noteworthy that ASEAN has come to play an important role in forming, building and leading regional structures. Through initiating and chairing such forums and mechanisms as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), the group has been playing an important role in enhancing dialogue, building trust and preventing conflicts in Asia-the Pacific.
ASEAN’s relations with its partners have been expanded and deepened as well. The group has established dialogue partnerships with Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), New Zealand, Russia, the US and the European Union. It has also implemented free trade agreements (FTAs) with Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan and the RoK, and is negotiating a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Ambassador Nam stressed that Vietnam has done its utmost to work with other ASEAN member countries in an active, positive and responsible manner to achieve the successes.
Vietnam has contributed actively to the building process of the ASEAN Community from forming the idea to designing and implementing policies. In 1998, just 3 years after joining the group, the country chaired the sixth ASEAN Summit in Hanoi. Notably, the country successfully fulfilled the role as Chair of ASEAN in 2010 – an important period for the community building process. It was one of the first five countries to ratify the ASEAN Charter, and is considered one of the leading countries in completing tasks towards the formation of the community by the end of this year.
Vietnam is also among the most active countries in promoting intra-bloc unity and self-reliance and in boosting the group’s central role in the regional structure. The country has tirelessly worked with other members to overcome difficulties, particularly the 1997-1998 financial crisis.
Vietnam has made important contributions to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region, including assuring peace and maritime security and safety in the East Sea. The country continually upholds the importance of following the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation as a code of conduct which adjusts relations among nations in the region, be they big or small, especially the principles of not using or threatening to use force and addressing all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the diplomat confirmed that Vietnam always emphasises the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of aviation and maritime in the East Sea; restraining and avoiding actions that can complicate the status quo; not using or threatening to use force; addressing any disputes by peaceful measures with respect to international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; and fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) while working for an early formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Discussing the contributions of the Vietnamese delegation to ASEAN to the building of the ASEAN Community beyond 2015, Ambassador Nam said the delegation will continue to coordinate with the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN in putting political decision into specific action plans and working programmes as well as proposing solutions to arising challenges.
The delegation will work with agencies at home to complete Vietnam’s tasks towards the formation of the ASEAN Community in late 2015 and popularise opportunities brought by the community to the Vietnamese people, he said.
He continued to say that the delegation will also ensure updates on ASEAN activities as well as study and provide Vietnam with information and experience of other regional countries during their integration process.
Integration into ASEAN opens up a new stage for Vietnam, creating a peaceful, stable and prosperous environment and serving the country’s development goals. The delegation’s activities fall very much in line with these priorities, he added.-VNA
Nam said that over the past two decades, ASEAN has developed from an undisciplined group with six members to a 10 member-strong association operating based on legal principles of the ASEAN Charter.
By the end of this year, ASEAN will become an ASEAN Community and announce an ASEAN Community roadmap beyond 2015, opening up a new chapter for the bloc to engage in deeper and wider connectivity.
It is noteworthy that ASEAN has come to play an important role in forming, building and leading regional structures. Through initiating and chairing such forums and mechanisms as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), the group has been playing an important role in enhancing dialogue, building trust and preventing conflicts in Asia-the Pacific.
ASEAN’s relations with its partners have been expanded and deepened as well. The group has established dialogue partnerships with Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea (RoK), New Zealand, Russia, the US and the European Union. It has also implemented free trade agreements (FTAs) with Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan and the RoK, and is negotiating a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Ambassador Nam stressed that Vietnam has done its utmost to work with other ASEAN member countries in an active, positive and responsible manner to achieve the successes.
Vietnam has contributed actively to the building process of the ASEAN Community from forming the idea to designing and implementing policies. In 1998, just 3 years after joining the group, the country chaired the sixth ASEAN Summit in Hanoi. Notably, the country successfully fulfilled the role as Chair of ASEAN in 2010 – an important period for the community building process. It was one of the first five countries to ratify the ASEAN Charter, and is considered one of the leading countries in completing tasks towards the formation of the community by the end of this year.
Vietnam is also among the most active countries in promoting intra-bloc unity and self-reliance and in boosting the group’s central role in the regional structure. The country has tirelessly worked with other members to overcome difficulties, particularly the 1997-1998 financial crisis.
Vietnam has made important contributions to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region, including assuring peace and maritime security and safety in the East Sea. The country continually upholds the importance of following the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation as a code of conduct which adjusts relations among nations in the region, be they big or small, especially the principles of not using or threatening to use force and addressing all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the diplomat confirmed that Vietnam always emphasises the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of aviation and maritime in the East Sea; restraining and avoiding actions that can complicate the status quo; not using or threatening to use force; addressing any disputes by peaceful measures with respect to international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; and fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) while working for an early formation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
Discussing the contributions of the Vietnamese delegation to ASEAN to the building of the ASEAN Community beyond 2015, Ambassador Nam said the delegation will continue to coordinate with the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) to ASEAN in putting political decision into specific action plans and working programmes as well as proposing solutions to arising challenges.
The delegation will work with agencies at home to complete Vietnam’s tasks towards the formation of the ASEAN Community in late 2015 and popularise opportunities brought by the community to the Vietnamese people, he said.
He continued to say that the delegation will also ensure updates on ASEAN activities as well as study and provide Vietnam with information and experience of other regional countries during their integration process.
Integration into ASEAN opens up a new stage for Vietnam, creating a peaceful, stable and prosperous environment and serving the country’s development goals. The delegation’s activities fall very much in line with these priorities, he added.-VNA
