As the chair of ASEAN this year, Vietnam will focus on consolidating solidarity and linking-up member countries, implementing the ASEAN Charter and striving towards creating an ASEAN Community by 2015.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet stated this on April 9 at a banquet for the heads of the delegations who attended the 16th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi .

Vietnam will continue working with other countries to promote cooperation amongst ASEAN members and between ASEAN and its partners to cope with global challenges, such as economic and financial crises, food and energy security, climate change and natural disasters and epidemics, said the state leader.

On the occasion, the President reiterated that the state, government and Vietnamese people would use all the necessary resources to fulfill the responsibilities that Vietnam has undertaken as the chair of ASEAN.

When addressing the banquet, Triet expressed his pleasure at and pride in the great achievements the association has made over the past four decades.

“ASEAN has become a regional organisation with close links between its members and plays an important role in the international arena, helping to contribute to peace, security, cooperation and development in the region”, said Triet.

Regarding the establishment of the ASEAN Community, he said that ASEAN member countries should utilise the association’s traditional values and continue doing their utmost to strengthen solidarity, unity, friendship and a community consciousness in the association.


Vietnam has integrated well into ASEAN and has made important contributions to the association since it became an official member in 1995, said President Triet, confirming that integration has brought about many benefits to Vietnam itself.

The state leader did not forget to emphasise the association’s strategic importance for Vietnam and reaffirmed that Vietnam had become an integral part of ASEAN.

On behalf of the heads of the visiting delegations, the King of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah highly valued the warm reception the state and Vietnamese people had given to the delegates and congratulated Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on making the summit a great success.

The King stressed the summit’s important role amid the association’s efforts to build an ASEAN community by 2015, adding that the community, in which the members are linked by similar traditions, will strive for peace, stability and development in the region.

The establishment of the ASEAN Community will bring about benefits for both present and future generations, said the King./.