The summits are taking place at a time as the ASEAN Community is implementing its blueprints in almost all fields on the foundation of comprehensive political-security, economic and socio-cultural integration.
December 31, 2015 is a notable date in the history of ASEAN as it is when the ten member countries officially announced the formation of the ASEAN Community, the first of its kind in Asia, marking an important milestone in regional linkage after nearly half a century of development. Since that historic moment, ASEAN has become increasingly closely intertwined with the harmonious amalgam of both national and regional interests. As an important partner of many countries and international organisations, ASEAN is playing an important role in peace, security and development in the Asia-Pacific region.
The ASEAN Community consists of more than 625 million people and is the seventh largest economy in the world with GDP reaching US$2.6 trillion, as well as a culturally-diverse community rich in ethnic identity and tradition. The bloc is expected to see its GDP grow by 7.1% and create 14 million jobs over the next ten years, laying the foundation for making it the world’s fourth largest economy in 2050.
ASEAN’s partners are increasingly attaching greater importance to cooperation with ASEAN; affirming stronger support and assistance to ASEAN in building a community and in implementing the association’s other priorities; supporting ASEAN’s central role in the regional architecture and such frameworks as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, EAS, ADMM+, ARF and so on. Currently there are 86 partners which have appointed ambassadors to ASEAN and 50 ASEAN committees located in various countries throughout the world.
The birth of the ASEAN Community has enhanced the position and strategic value of ASEAN, contributing to balancing and moderating interests of major powers in the region as well as fostering ASEAN’s central role in the evolving regional architecture.
Under the theme “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community”, at the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits, ASEAN leaders will discuss measures to strengthen ASEAN linkages, reinforce ASEAN’s solidarity, unity and central role. At related summits between ASEAN and partner countries (including the ASEAN-China Summit, ASEAN-Japan Summit, ASEAN- Republic of Korea Summit, ASEAN+3 Summit, ASEAN-Australia Summit, ASEAN-UN Summit, ASEAN-India Summit, ASEAN-US Summit and ASEAN-East Asia Summit), the parties will discuss measures to promote cooperation between ASEAN and its partners and exchange opinions on regional and international issues. According to the agenda, leaders of ASEAN and partner countries will discuss and adopt more than 40 documents.
Vietnam has expressed its firm belief that its destiny is closely linked to the success of the ASEAN community. After 21 years of being an ASEAN member, Vietnam has fully participated in cooperative activities in the fields of politics-security, economics, socio-culture and external relations; effectively fulfilled commitments and agreements, contributing to realising the ASEAN Community.
With a proactive, active and responsible approach, Vietnam is always willing to join hands with other member countries to make substantive contributions to successfully building an ASEAN Community towards a region of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity. Initial steps in building the ASEAN Community coincide with the time as Vietnam is beginning to implement the external relations guidelines of the 12th Party Congress, which affirms ASEAN as a strategic priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy.
With the aim of promoting Vietnam’s proactive, active and responsible as well as central role in a number of the association’s major issues, Prime Minister Phuc and the Vietnamese delegation will attend the summits in Vientiane to contribute to the promotion of ASEAN’s closer links and enhanced function, while strengthening ASEAN’s solidarity, unity and central role and promoting comprehensive and substantive relationships between ASEAN and dialogue partners.
We believe that the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits and related summits in Laos will be a great success as a motivation to help ASEAN overcome all obstacles and continue on the path towards building a strong and united ASEAN for the sake of all member countries and the region at large.
