Vietnam's 29-year journey of joining ASEAN:

Vietnam's Mission to Build a Strong ASEAN Community

Vietnam officially became the 7th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on July 28, 1995, owing to the Party's righteous strategic decision, allowing the country to integrate internationally. Since then, Vietnam has made continuous efforts and important contributions to the common development of the Association, actively building a peaceful, stable and developed region.

Fanasy Nguyen Le

August 02, 2024 | 11:13

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Representatives of ASEAN countries at the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Laos (Photo: Hanoimoi.vn).

For nearly three decades, with the motto of being determined, proactive and responsible, throughout the journey of accompanying ASEAN, Vietnam has made important practical contributions, creating a foundation for building a cohesive ASEAN Community. Vietnam's work with ASEAN is based on three pillars; maintaining solidarity and unity within the bloc, consolidating the Association's central role in international and regional issues.

These efforts have also contributed to enhancing Vietnam's image and position in the eyes of international friends, while effectively mobilizing resources to serve the country's socio-economic development goals. There are three important milestones highlighting Vietnam's role in the community, namely the time the country was selected Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee for the 2000-2001 term, and ASEAN Chairmanship two times in 2010 and 2020 after the ASEAN Charter was promulgated.

The year 2001 was a milestone when Vietnam promoted the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration on Narrowing the Development Gap, officially launching the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to support narrowing the development gap within ASEAN.

In 2010, with the goal of accelerating the realization of the ASEAN vision into action, Vietnam's Chairmanship marked important decisions such as the adoption of the first Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC 2015); expanding the East Asia Summit (EAS) mechanism to include the Russian Federation and the United States (US) as well as forming a defense cooperation framework between ASEAN and its partners through the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM). In 2020, in an era of uncertainty, Vietnam promoted the ASEAN Community to be united and respond effectively and promptly to the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vietnam has always been at the forefront of countries that implement commitments on economic integration in the ASEAN region, and it also initiated the idea of forming the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Vietnam has contributed many important orientations to build ASEAN cooperation strategies until 2045, including integrating and promoting many issues such as the East Sea, sub-regional cooperation, climate change response, digital transformation, energy transformation, infrastructure, institutional and human connectivity and so on.

Regarding ASEAN's foreign relations, Vietnam has effectively assumed the role of coordinator, contributing to promoting substantive and effective cooperation between ASEAN and important partners such as China, the US, the Russian Federation, Japan and South Korea. At the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Laos, Vietnam officially transferred the role of coordinator of ASEAN-South Korea relations and took over the role of coordinator of relations between ASEAN and two new partners, New Zealand and the United Kingdoms. Speaking at the conference, representatives from South Korea and ASEAN countries sent thanks to Vietnam, highly appreciating its efforts and important contributions as the coordinator of ASEAN-South Korea relations over the past three years.

After nearly three decades of participating in ASEAN, Vietnam and its member countries have continuously contributed to the formation and development of the ASEAN Community. Vietnam's contributions demonstrate a consistent and continuous spirit of peace, harmony, and friendship for peace, stability, and a strong, united ASEAN with a high status in the world.

On July 27, in the capital Vientiane (Laos), the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 57) and related meetings concluded. Vietnam's Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet was the head of the delegation attending the meeting.

At the end of the Conference series, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers adopted the Joint Communiqué of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which fully and comprehensively reflected the discussion on the process of building the ASEAN Community, ASEAN cooperation on the following pillars: Community, ASEAN's foreign relations and international and regional issues. The Laotian President issued the Chairman's Statement of the ASEAN+1 Foreign Ministers' Meetings (with the US), ASEAN+3 (with China, Japan and South Korea), the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

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Fanasy Nguyen Le