Vietnam's foreign policy has historically relied heavily on ASEAN

DNHN - That was also one of the topics discussed during the Conference on ASEAN Propaganda and Promotion to commemorate ASEAN's 55th formation anniversary (August 8, 1967 - August 8, 2022): "55 Years of ASEAN Growing Together," which was held on August 4 in the afternoon. Since its inception, ASEAN has been a key pillar in Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralization, regional integration, and international integration.

On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of ASEAN's establishment (1967-2022) and the 27th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN (1995-2022), the National Steering Committee for ASEAN propaganda and promotion, the Ministry of Information and Communications collaborated with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Industry and Trade, and the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta (Indonesia) on August 4 to hold a media conference called "55 years of ASEAN growing together" to provide information for media agencies to carry out reporting and propaganda activities, raising awareness and awareness of the people, organizations and businesses in the country.

Mr Trieu Minh Long, Director General of International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Information and Communications, stated in his opening speech at the conference that the establishment of ASEAN on August 8, 1967, was the first milestone in the process of forming ASEAN, and that the development of a regional organization is considered to be very effective and growing strongly. Over the last 55 years, ASEAN has achieved considerable success, establishing itself as a regional powerhouse.

"The central role of ASEAN is based on the achievements in cooperation that the Association has achieved in the process of formation and development from cooperation with external partners as well as the successes of the frameworks, the regional cooperation mechanism initiated and led by the Association," Mr Trieu Minh Long emphasized.

Vietnam formally joined ASEAN after a 27-year journey.

ASEAN has grown to a 10-member community after more than five decades of foundation and growth, beginning with the five founding nations signing the Bangkok Declaration in 1967.

Ms Pham Quynh Mai, Deputy Director General, Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry Thuong, stated: "Introducing the process of building the ASEAN Economic Community: achievements and focus in the coming time, development orientation of Vietnam." "The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded on August 8, 1967, based on the Bangkok Declaration, by the five founding countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, to strengthen economic, cultural, and social cooperation among member countries, as well as create conditions for countries to integrate more deeply with the region and the world. Brunei joined in 1984, Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999, making a total of ten Southeast Asian nations."

On July 28, 1995, a red flag with a yellow star flew in the sky above Brunei's capital Bandar Seri Begawan during Vietnam's admission ceremony to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), commemorating the moment when Vietnam officially became the organization's seventh member. 

Joining ASEAN is a historic move, a proper and timely one, and the first step for Vietnam to step out into the region and the globe, with new growth prospects for the nation, helping to strengthen the country's position and voice.

ASEAN has long been a key pillar in Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-sufficiency, diversification, multilateralism, and regional and international integration.

Since joining ASEAN on July 28, 1995, Vietnam's foreign policy in ASEAN has become an essential aspect of Vietnam's foreign policy in the new age, as explicitly directed in Party Congress texts.

Vietnam, in particular, continues to "strengthen relations with neighbouring countries and ASEAN members," "actively participates in activities to promote mutually beneficial cooperation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations" (ASEAN), and "promote comprehensive and effective cooperative relations with ASEAN members."

Vietnam-ASEAN economic-trade ties have grown significantly in breadth and depth after 27 years of membership in ASEAN. When Vietnam initially entered the ASEAN Free Commerce Area (AFTA) in 1996, its two-way trade with other countries in the bloc totalled almost 6 billion USD; however, this figure has since climbed to nearly 6 billion USD—more than ten times, for an average of over 60 billion USD.

Trade between Vietnam and ASEAN, in particular, has grown dramatically between 2010 and 2021. Exports climbed from 9.3 billion USD in 2010 to 29.1 billion USD in 2021, reaching more than 20 billion USD. Vietnam also raised ASEAN imports from 14.5 billion USD in 2010 to $41.1 billion in 2021, a $26.6 billion increase.

According to Ms Pham Quynh Mai, the direction of Vietnam's cooperation with the region in the coming years will be to continue promoting ASEAN economic cooperation, particularly in restructuring economies and adapting to the region's general economic situation following the pandemic; and to continue working with other ASEAN countries to support an open, rules-based, inclusive, and mutually beneficial multilateral trading system, particularly in trade and investment.

In this process, Vietnam would actively support and responsibly engage in collaborative measures to promote trade, services, and investment, boost ASEAN capital market growth, and expand supply chains and regional industrial networks...

Looking back on the nation's 27-year process of international economic integration, Pham Quynh Mai said that Vietnam's choice to join ASEAN was sensible, appropriate, and proper, and would be beneficial to both the nation and its citizens. Therefore, to effectively execute the direction of cooperation with ASEAN in the future, it is vital to maintain strengthening effective coordination and collaboration across ministries, sectors, localities, and the business community.

Establishing a peaceful and cohesive ASEAN community of peoples.

The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community was introduced at the conference by Ms Ha Thi Minh Duc, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community aims to build a community of ASEAN peoples who harmonize, unite, live with care and sharing, are people-oriented, take care of people's physical health and welfare, create a better living environment, and develop a

Particularly, Vietnam and its member nations have actively and properly carried out the 2009–2015 ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Master Plan. The efforts of ASEAN sectoral groups have helped to advance 99 per cent of the action goals. The association's top executives adopted the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Master Plan through 2025 in November 2015.

Vietnam, according to Ms Duc, has a project to create and carry out a plan to accomplish the aforementioned objectives that are people-oriented, and people-centred, with the involvement of ministries, agencies, and local sectors.

The subsequent initiatives to carry out ASEAN's promises and declarations in Vietnam also show how the Master Plan's objectives are being implemented. A large portion of the declarations' substance has been institutionalized and made actual in several national and municipal legal instruments, laws, and programs.

Some solutions have been put forth for Vietnam to effectively implement the plan between 2021 and 2025, including reviewing, integrating, and organizing the implementation of the Master Plan's contents in plans, policies, and programs of ministries, branches, provinces, and centrally run cities; mobilizing and spreading information about the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community and the implementation project; and strengthening the system of information, repo

The ASEAN Secretariat, under the direction of Mr Tan Ghee Tiong, Head of the Culture and Information Department, Department of Socio-Cultural Communities, presented the ASEAN Communication Strategy and implementation experience to the conference attendees at the same time. The ASEAN Secretariat gave a presentation and outlined the ASEAN Community's accomplishments, the region's cooperation priorities going forward, and Vietnam's participation priorities.

Bao Bao- Hong Hanh