Toward United, Inclusive, Resilient and Rules-Based ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia for the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits. The member countries are determined to build a united, inclusive, resilient and rules-based ASEAN community where all the peoples live in a safe, harmonious and secure environment.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (4th from left), Cambodian Prime Minister samdech Techo Hun Sen (center) and other ASEAN leaders at the opening ceremony of the 40th, 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Phnom Penh, November 11

After four days with a dense schedule of more than 20 activities, the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits were successfully wrapped up, achieving many important results, both in cooperation between ASEAN as well as between ASEAN and its partners.

First, the solidarity and central role of ASEAN are clearly demonstrated in these meetings. In the current complicated and unstable context, all countries affirmed that ASEAN has been making efforts to overcome difficulties, maintain cooperation momentum, and promote sustainable recovery effectively. While the world and regional economies have many gray areas, Southeast Asia is really a bright spot with a growth forecast of 5.3% in 2022. Trade resumption, economic opening, effective implementation of economic policies and free trade agreements are the priorities of all countries in their joint efforts on post-pandemic recovery.

At the conferences, ASEAN and its partners proposed many measures and committed specific resources to respond to emerging challenges such as epidemics, climate change, the environment, energy security, and security. food security. The countries also proposed many practical initiatives in the fields of current concern such as digital transformation, green growth, digital economy, and circular economy.

ASEAN's solidarity and central role were strongly promoted in matters related to peace, security and stability. In particular, on the Myanmar issue, with the adoption of the decision to implement the Five-Point Consensus, ASEAN has shown a stronger determination in supporting Myanmar and reaffirmed that Myanmar remains an integral part of ASEAN.

ASEAN leaders and U.S President Joe Biden at the 10th ASEAN-U.S Summit

In addition, the leaders of ASEAN countries approved the Declaration on Timor Leste's application to join ASEAN, which agreed in principle to admit Timor Leste as the 11th member of ASEAN, grant an observer status and build a roadmap for the country's accession to ASEAN.

Second, the process of building the ASEAN Community continues to be the priority of the countries, receiving the support of the partners. The implementation of ASEAN Community building has progressed positively. The countries were committed to making efforts to complete the set plan on time, creating a solid foundation for ASEAN integration in the new period.

The countries agreed to give priority to building the Vision of the ASEAN Community after 2025, an overarching strategic document to guide ASEAN for the next decade, ensuring solidarity, centrality, resilience and adaptability response of ASEAN in the new context. The partners also pledged to support and assist ASEAN in building the Community, prioritizing areas such as trade, investment, connectivity, and sub-regional development.

Third, the relationship between ASEAN and partners also recorded concrete and substantive progress. This is the first time that the ASEAN Summit and its partners are held directly after nearly three years of hiatus due to the pandemic.

Notably, the leaders of the countries adopted the Declaration on Establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and U.S., and ASEAN and India, agreeing in principle to upgrade the Strategic Partnership with Canada, and accepted the proposal of Korea and Japan to upgrade relations with ASEAN. Some partners also expressed their desire to organize commemorative Summits with ASEAN such as the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan in 2023 and the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Australia in 2024.

At the end of the meetings, the leaders of the countries approved and recognized more than 100 documents on many important contents.

Vietnam’s substantial contributions to ASEAN

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led the Vietnamese delegation to attend ASEAN Summits and Related Summits and made substantial contributions to ASEAN.

Vietnam clearly shows its role as a bridge to connect and promote ASEAN consent in many important decisions, especially the Decision of ASEAN leaders on the implementation of the 5-Point Consensus and the Statement on Application of Timor Leste to ASEAN Membership, thus making its important contributions to strengthening solidarity, image and prestige of ASEAN.

Leaders of ASEAN countries and partners at the 25th ASEAN+3 (China, the Republic of Korea, Japan) Summit

With a positive and active spirit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed many important contents of cooperation that caught the attention of other countries. In bilateral and multilateral contacts, he emphasized that countries need to further open up their economies together, not introduce trade-restrictive measures, ensure safe open trade, and maintain smooth supply chain operations, accelerate technology transfer and support developing countries in growing digital economy, digital transformation, green economy and circular economy

He also stressed people-centric viewpoints, goals and motivation for recovery and sustainable development efforts as well as due attention paid to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in society.

In his exchanges on international and regional issues, Prime Minister Pham Minh expressed Vietnam’s views on the East Sea, Myanmar, the Ukraine conflict and many other issues in the spirit of balance, harmony and construction. His sharing not only affirmed Vietnam's roles and responsibilities but also helped strengthen ASEAN's principled stance and objective and balanced approach, thus fostering the value of dialogue and cooperation of ASEAN-led mechanisms, encouraging constructive participation and responsible contribution of partners to peace, security and development in the region.

Vietnam's contributions also consistently demonstrated its support for the ASEAN Chair, enabled the overall success of conferences, and further fortified a solid foundation for a good neighborly relationship, traditional friendship, and comprehensive and sustainable long-term cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister had 17 meetings and contacts with leaders attending the ASEAN Summit that helped reinforce Vietnam’s relations with other countries and partners, open up new opportunities for increasingly profound and substantive cooperation in economy, trade, investment, security and defense, culture, education, people-to-people exchanges.

In general, Vietnam's participation in and contributions to the meetings as an active, positive and responsible member showed its important role and position in the region that was respected and appreciated by ASEAN countries and partners.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other ASEAN leaders at the interface with representatives of ASEAN Business Advisory Council

Source: Vietnam Business Forum