Vietnam strives to lead ASEAN in overcoming challenges

Vietnam’s important role has been further amplified during its term as ASEAN Chair 2020 as the country strives to lead ASEAN to steadily respond to challenges.

2020 is a special year for both ASEAN and Vietnam because it is the fifth year since the establishment of ASEAN Community and the 25th year since Vietnam begain its participation in the “common shelter” of ASEAN. The assumption of its role as Chair of ASEAN 2020 offered an opportunity for Vietnam to affirm its position as increasingly improved in international arena. However, the year 2020 also witnessed great challenges for Vietnam as ASEAN Chair because the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected all socio-economic activities of the countries both inside and outside the region.

With great effort, flexibility and responsibility, Vietnam has made quick and creative responses, gradually leading ASEAN to further enhance intra-regional cooperation and relations with its partners to control the spread of the epidemic as well as setting out a roadmap for economic recovery in the region after a pandemic. Under the leadership of Vietnam, ASEAN countries have unanimously promoted initiatives to help the association effectively adapt to COVID-19, including the formation of a COVID-19 response fund and reserving standards for disease response and the development of an overall ASEAN economy recovery plan for the post-epidemic period. Regional economic experts say that Vietnam has played an important role in ensuring that all ASEAN member countries coordinate efforts and resources to jointly promote a comprehensive plan for post-pandemic economic recovery.

In addition to leading ASEAN to respond to the pandemic and gradually promote socio-economic recovery, Vietnam’s role in maintaining and promoting cooperation as well as fully and effectively implementing major goals, priorities and initiatives in 2020 has been highly spoken of by the member countries. The initiatives and priorities, which were approved in the beginning of the year under the proposals of Vietnam, have progressed on the right track, such as the master plans for the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 on the basis of a mid-term review on all three pillars, the review of the implementation of the ASEAN Charter, and the building of development orientations of ASEAN after 2025.

Following the achievements of its term of its ASEAN Chair, Vietnam has made great efforts to hold the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings that were the last major activities during its ASEAN Chair 2020. At the international press conference on the 37th ASEAN summit, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung, who is also General Secretary of the National The ASEAN 2020 Committee and head of the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) Vietnam delegation emphasised that this was an important opportunity for ASEAN countries to affirmed their strong commitment and political determination to maintain cooperation momentum in the region, effectively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and consolidating ASEAN’s central role and position as well as setting out appropriate development orientations for the region.

Upholding the spirit of “cohesion and proactive adaptation” of the ASEAN Year 2020, during the time Vietnam has assumed the role of ASEAN Chair, the country has always strived to show its image of a dynamic, proactive, flexible and creative member leading ASEAN to implement the “dual goal” of effectively responding to the epidemic and promoting efforts to build the ASEAN Community. Vietnam’s contributions have had important significance for the realisation of the goal towards building a united, people-oriented and people-centred ASEAN Community based on rules and connection with the partners and proactive adaptation to overcome challenges.