The Vietnam Embassy in Japan on August 16 chaired a ceremony celebrating the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN)'s 55th founding anniversary with the participation of ambassadors/chargé d'affaires of the bloc’s 10 member states. (Photo: VNA)

In his opening speech, Vietnamese Ambassador Vu Hong Nam, who is the current rotating Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Tokyo (ACT), said ASEAN is now one of the most dynamic and successful regional organizations in the world.

The Vietnamese Ambassador in Japan Vu Hong Nam made the opening speech of the ceremony (Photo: VNA)

According to the ambassador, with a population of nearly 700 million and a GDP exceeding USD 3.2 trillion, ASEAN is the world's 5th biggest economy. The bloc’s trade has so far recovered to the pre-COVID-19 level and is forecast to grow 4.9% this year and 5.2% in 2023. The group’s cooperation with its foreign partners has been increasingly deepened toward effectiveness.

The diplomat attributed such results to unceasing efforts made by the ASEAN people.

He went on to highlight the role of the ATC since its establishment 44 years ago, noting that ATC members have frequently convened meetings for mutual support in fostering ties among member states and Japan as well as ASEAN-Japan relations.

Echoing the view, Cambodian Ambassador Tuy Ry stressed ASEAN has transformed from a loose mechanism into a closely cohesive and rules-based organization.

He also pointed out security challenges facing the bloc in the time to come, notably the Myanmar situation and issues related to the East Sea, Korean Peninsula, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

ASEAN’s central role in promoting international economic links

After the celebration, the 311th meeting of the ASEAN Community was held (Photo: VNA).

On the same day, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam held an international workshop highlighting the role and prospects of ASEAN given the volatile situation in the region and the world at large was held in hybrid form in Tokyo.

In his opening remarks, VASS Vice President Dr. Dang Xuan Thanh pointed out increasingly complex challenges, especially those related to geopolitics, facing Indo-Pacific in general and ASEAN in particular.

Japan is the most active country in the region that wants to promote peace, stability, and prosperity based on the rule of law, and it clearly states that the Indo-Pacific region should be guaranteed navigation and aviation freedom based on international law.

In Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy, relations with ASEAN are particularly emphasized, of which relations with Vietnam are considered the most critical, Thanh said.

The workshop aims to enhance the sharing of information and understanding of the implications of Japan's policies and initiatives related to its FOIP strategy, as well as share the views of both sides on regional and international issues, Thanh added.

Associate Professor Sanae Suzuki, an expert in international relations from the University of Tokyo, said Japan attaches importance to its cooperation with ASEAN members in general and Vietnam in particular towards win-win collaboration for the sake of people and stakeholders.

ASEAN needs to enhance the role of its chairman as well as its special envoys in issues related to regional order, especially humanitarian issues in trade development and maritime security, he noted.

According to Nguyen Huy Hoang, Director of the VASS’s Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, promoting economic cooperation mechanisms, with ASEAN playing a central role, will help open up large market opportunities for businesses to expand trade partnerships, attract investment and participate more deeply in global value chains.

Participants at the event focused their discussions on the significance and impact of maintaining ASEAN's central role on the implementation of Japan's FOIP strategy in the Indo-Pacific; the role played by the strategy in supporting ASEAN member nations in improving their strategic autonomy and economic resilience; and the Vietnam-Japan cooperation within the FOIP strategy for peaceful, prosperous and inclusive development.

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