May 09, 2019 | 21:00 (GMT+7)
ASEAN 2020: Vietnam expected to promote leading role
PANO – An international conference themed “Vietnam’s ASEAN 2020 Chairmanship: Recommending the Priorities” was co-held by the Vietnam Diplomatic Academy and the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies of the USA (APCSS) on May 8.
The conference was attended by more than 50 delegates from departments of ministries and agencies of the Party and National Assembly of Vietnam, those working in ASEAN-related areas and scholars and researchers at home and abroad. Especially, the conference saw the presence of former ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh, former officials and ambassadors with important contributions to Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN.
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Delegates in a joint photo |
The conference is part of the research activities, dialogues and policy consultations in preparation for the year when Vietnam takes ASEAN Chair - 2020. Opening the conference, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Vu Tung stressed that the establishment and development process of ASEAN over the past 50 years has demonstrated the vitality of the regional cooperation model. The development of the ASEAN Community is based on existing achievements and the important role of ASEAN in each member country, the Southeast Asian region and the Indo-Pacific region.
In the context that the region and the world are undergoing various changes and facing both challenges and opportunities, as the rotary chair of ASEAN in 2020, Vietnam will have to lead the bloc in dealing with challenges, snatching opportunities and actively coordinating member nations to further develop ASEAN.
The conference served as a forum for delegates of ministries and agencies and international experts to make recommendations on priorities for the regional bloc in 2020 when Vietnam takes ASEAN Chair; strengthen consensus among ministries and agencies in preparation for Vietnam’s ASEAN 2020 Chairmanship; and seek opportunities to boost connectivity, exchange and cooperation in enhancing the role of ASEAN and Vietnam in the region and international arena.
At the conference, participants agreed that ASEAN now stands many chances at the same time faces various challenges. In that context, Vietnam is expected to promote its core and leading role in the year it chairs ASEAN – 2020, making substantial contributions to the development of the ASEAN Community.
Translated by Song Anh