Within the framework of the State visit to the Republic of Indonesia and the official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat, on the morning of March 10, at the ASEAN Secretariat Headquarters in Jakarta, General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation, attended the ceremony to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN and delivered an important policy speech.
Vietnam News Agency (VNA) respectfully introduces the content of the Policy Statement by General Secretary To Lam: "Vietnam's vision on the ASEAN region, Vietnam's foreign policy and international integration in the era of national development".
“ Dear Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1. I am pleased that during my State visit to Indonesia, I have the opportunity to officially visit and speak at the ASEAN Secretariat - the permanent agency of ASEAN, where ASEAN's meetings, summits and conferences at all levels, between ASEAN and its partners, and where ASEAN leaders adopt many important decisions contributing to the development and future of the Southeast Asian region and the world.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Secretary General, the leaders and staff of the ASEAN Secretariat, the ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic missions here for the warm welcome given to me and the Vietnamese delegation. In the auditorium today, I know that there are many prestigious scholars and researchers, many of whom have made and are making important contributions to the development of ASEAN and the Vietnam-Indonesia relationship. I respectfully send you all my best wishes and greetings.
Ladies and gentlemen,
2. As soon as we set foot in the beautiful "land of thousands of islands", everywhere we saw the bright eyes, the friendly and affectionate smiles of the Indonesian people, making us feel like we were visiting the home of a blood brother with many similarities and closeness. Indonesia is famous for its diverse culture, the intersection of many major civilizations and religions in the region stretching from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Majestic nature, combined with ancient architectural works imbued with spiritual and cultural values and unique and impressive modern architectural works, has become an attractive destination for tourists around the world and Vietnam.
Indonesia is also known for its ideas that go beyond the region, in which independence, self-reliance, self-reliance, non-alignment... have become Indonesia's foreign policy philosophy. Inspired by coming to this country and immersing myself in the extremely warm, friendly and united atmosphere at the ASEAN Secretariat, I would like to share with you some thoughts on the important role of ASEAN in the current context of the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions; on Vietnam's foreign policy and international integration in the era of national development, efforts to contribute to the peace, stability and development of ASEAN, the region and the world.
Dear ladies and gentlemen,
3. In recent decades, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the world and the region have witnessed rapid movements, creating epochal changes with three major trends shaping the future:
Firstly, the reshaping of the world situation towards multipolarity and multi-center, in which strategic competition and separation among major countries are increasingly fierce, poses unprecedented opportunities and challenges for the post-war international order and ASEAN.
Second, the explosive development of science and technology, especially emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, blockchain, synthetic biology, etc., leads to fundamental changes in the cultural, economic, political and social life of all humanity, each nation and each person.
Third, the increasingly profound impact of non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, epidemics, cyber security, population aging, etc. requires countries to adjust their development methods and cooperation in global governance.
These trends are deeply affecting all aspects of global political, security, economic and social life, bringing both opportunities and challenges to all countries and international organizations, including ASEAN and Vietnam. More than ever, we have a clear sense of difficulties, challenges and risks to peace, security and stability. Tensions and conflicts between countries have escalated to their highest level in the past 75 years. Global security is increasingly unstable, with nearly 15% of the world's population currently living in conflict-affected areas. International cooperation and multilateral institutions are facing unprecedented challenges as trust between countries is gradually being replaced by confrontation and suspicion. Open multilateralism, promoted by the strong globalization process over the past three decades, is being eroded. The increasingly complex intertwining of traditional and non-traditional security challenges has made the security and development environment of the Asia-Pacific region, including Southeast Asia and ASEAN member countries, more complex and unpredictable than ever. As ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn stated at the Second ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi at the end of February, the world today is characterized by "competition, confrontation, mutual challenge and fragmentation".
However, I believe that in challenges and difficulties there always lie or appear opportunities. Difficulties push countries to come closer together to deal with common challenges. At the same time, difficulties also open up rare opportunities for ASEAN to rise up and affirm its new position, based on principles, common values and achievements after nearly 60 years of development. More specifically, difficulties and challenges are the driving force for innovation. From the historical lessons of Vietnam, if there were no difficulties and challenges in the 1980s, we would not have had the innovation and Vietnam of today. Our beloved President Ho Chi Minh once advised: "Nothing is difficult, only fear of not being steadfast, digging mountains and filling seas, determination will make it happen". This is the opportunity and time for us to continue to innovate and innovate more strongly. Therefore, what we need to do is to be determined and unanimous in facing difficulties and challenges, continuing to promote cooperation, stimulating innovation and creating new, sustainable growth momentum for the entire ASEAN Community, for each ASEAN member country as well as ASEAN's partners.
Ladies and gentlemen,
4. Looking back at the nearly 60-year history of ASEAN, we have learned many valuable lessons, especially about the spirit of self-reliance, self-reliance and strategic autonomy. I would like to share with you three typical stories about ASEAN's historic decisions that created turning points in the development of the region.
The first was the period of the regional financial crisis in the late 1990s. The widespread impact of the crisis at that time raised questions about the real effectiveness and prospects of regional economic integration; many even hastily assessed that ASEAN would withdraw and erect a protectionist "wall". But ASEAN's decision at that time was completely the opposite. It was during the crisis that ASEAN became more aware of the interdependence and connection between economies. From the decision to accelerate the integration roadmap in the ASEAN Free Trade Area, to efforts to promote the free flow of goods, services, and investment... these correct decisions have contributed significantly to helping ASEAN overcome difficulties, and today become a center of free trade agreement networks accounting for 30% of the world's population and 32% of global GDP.
The second story is ASEAN's decision to accelerate the formation of the Community in 2015, shortening the progress by 5 years compared to the original roadmap. This is a strong and timely decision, made in 2007 in the context of the urgent need to enhance ASEAN's connectivity to catch up with the trend of globalization and increasingly deep integration. The ASEAN Charter, which came into effect in 2008, created a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for ASEAN connectivity. The birth of the ASEAN Community on December 31, 2015 was a new qualitative step for ASEAN on all three pillars: (1) Politics - Security; (2) Economy and (3) Culture - Society. ASEAN today has become a Community of 10 nations united in diversity; is the 5th largest economy in the world with a leading growth rate; is the center of regional and global connectivity processes; is a bridge of dialogue and cooperation for peace and development in the region, actively contributing to shaping a new world order.
Finally, the story of ASEAN's extraordinary efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with unprecedented challenges from the outbreak, ASEAN has mobilized its overall strength, turning the need for cooperative response into a common denominator of national interests, together maintaining the stability of ASEAN's activities, and maintaining the momentum of building the Community. Amid the gloomy colors of the world economic picture, ASEAN continues to emerge as a positive bright spot with a forecast growth of 4.7% in 2025. To take advantage of new growth drivers, a series of cooperation frameworks are being urgently built to enhance ASEAN's competitive advantage, shape and lead new cooperation trends in the region.
5. The above stories are evidence of the core values that have made ASEAN successful and its identity over the past nearly 6 decades. Solidarity, self-reliance, cooperation, and unity in diversity continue to be the keys to ensuring ASEAN's success in the current volatile context. The emergence of more and more challenges with multi-dimensional and far-reaching impacts requires ASEAN to have a creative, flexible and innovative approach, including in the decision-making process. Consensus and solidarity do not mean always keeping oneself in a safe zone for all parties. On the contrary, members of the ASEAN family must dare to think, dare to do, dare to act for the common good. That is the true meaning and value of consensus and solidarity.
6. Entering a new stage of development, ASEAN will certainly grow strongly and become the fourth largest economy in the world by 2030. With a consumer market of more than 800 million people, it will also be a center of technology, digital economy and innovation, with ASEAN's digital economy growing rapidly and expected to reach the 1,000 billion USD mark by 2030.
In the face of current complex changes, to maintain and promote the achievements effectively and sustainably, affirming its stature and central position, ASEAN not only needs solidarity, consensus, and unanimity, but also breakthrough thinking, sharp strategies, feasible roadmaps, concentrated resources and decisive actions. I have some thoughts on creating breakthroughs in promoting ASEAN's strategic values, enhancing ASEAN's prestige and role in the coming time.
Firstly, ensuring strategic autonomy and flexibility to enhance adaptability and response to challenges and rapid changes in the context of strategic competition. ASEAN needs to coordinate with greater responsibility in strengthening intra-bloc solidarity. This is a decisive factor in responding to external pressures, maintaining an independent and balanced voice in the context of increasingly fierce strategic competition between major powers. Accordingly, ASEAN needs to increase consensus through consultation, dialogue, and intertwining interests among members; enhance community awareness and be more proactive and positive from each member country in seeking common denominators in ASEAN interests, identity and values.
Second, become more economically self-reliant, take advantage of and promote ASEAN's advantages as a large and potential economic development space, rise up in the global supply chain to become the world's strategic production center. ASEAN needs to be more creative in development solutions, have new approaches in promoting new growth drivers, especially in innovation, science and technology, digital transformation, green economic development, circular economy, renewable energy and high-quality human resource development; ensure harmony between economic growth and green, inclusive and sustainable development. ASEAN needs to become the center of breakthrough technological initiatives, turning scientific research into practical and effective applications in socio-economic development.
Third, further promote ASEAN's identity and values. Strengthen cultural connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, promote ASEAN's values such as consensus, harmony and respect for differences. Preserve and promote the "ASEAN Way" - a valuable cultural heritage in the Association's decision-making method, especially taking people as the center, the goal and driving force of sustainable development. In the context of food security, energy security and climate change that have seriously impacted people's lives, ASEAN's mission is to be fully prepared in all aspects to be able to proactively adapt in all circumstances, ensuring a stable and prosperous life for the people.
Fourth, enhance the effectiveness of building standards of conduct to regulate and direct relations between countries in the region on the basis of the principles of balance, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the substance in implementing initiatives and cooperation commitments. In the face of increasing strategic friction between major countries, ASEAN needs to demonstrate solidarity in both behavior and action, maintain its central role, promote its role as a connector and bridge, encourage parties to participate in ASEAN-led mechanisms, create a platform for dialogue and goodwill cooperation, promote cooperation and maintain stability and peace for the region and the world, on the basis of ensuring compliance with the principles and principles set forth by ASEAN mechanisms. In particular, ASEAN needs to be more proactive in using the "ASEAN way" to find long-term, sustainable solutions to issues within and outside the Southeast Asian region.
Fifth, focus together on solving internal issues to help Myanmar stabilize and develop; help Timor Leste soon become a full member of ASEAN.
Dear Sir or Madam,
7. Vietnam is proud of its international integration process that has been implemented over the past 30 years, in which ASEAN is the starting point and the premise for Vietnam to increasingly integrate into the region and the world. From an isolated and embargoed country, Vietnam today has diplomatic relations with 194 countries and is a member of more than 70 regional and international forums and organizations. The network of free trade agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed and implemented with more than 60 countries and economies has contributed to making Vietnam one of the 40 largest economies in the world and the top 20 economies in the world in terms of attracting foreign investment and trade scale.
To date, Vietnam has established comprehensive partnerships, strategic partnerships, and comprehensive strategic partnerships with 35 countries, including all ASEAN members and important ASEAN partners. It can be affirmed that cooperation with ASEAN members and with the ASEAN network of partners has made an important contribution to ensuring a peaceful, stable, and favorable environment for Vietnam to develop and become increasingly prosperous, opening up a space for Vietnam's development with great potential and helping Vietnam enhance its prestige, role, and international position.
As a reliable, active and responsible member of the region and the world, Vietnam has been making efforts to contribute resources and intelligence to the most important cooperation mechanisms of the region and the world. Vietnam's contributions as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, member of the United Nations Human Rights Council and important regional cooperation mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), and the three-time ASEAN Chair (1998, 2010, 2020) ... have been recognized and highly appreciated by international friends. Vietnam understands that along with the increase in position comes the increase in responsibility, to the ASEAN family, to regional friends and to issues of common concern to the international community.
These great and historic achievements are an important foundation for Vietnam to enter a new era, an era of national development. Vietnam is determined to pursue the target of a breakthrough growth of 8% in 2025 and over double digits in the following years; turning the country into a modern industrialized country by 2030 and a developed, high-income country by 2045. We associate rapid and sustainable economic development with growth model innovation towards improving quality, efficiency, and competitiveness with science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key driving forces; at the same time, continue to take people as the center, the driving force of development; build a rule-of-law State, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
In the new era of development, Vietnam continues to steadfastly and consistently implement its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of relations, being a friend, a reliable partner, an active and responsible member of the international community; proactively and actively integrating deeply and comprehensively into the international community. Vietnam is ready to make more active and proactive contributions to world politics, the global economy and human civilization.
With the aspiration of a peace-loving nation, we also believe that peace is the foundation for development. Inheriting the heroic and humane tradition of the nation "Connecting the two countries in friendly relations; forever extinguishing the fire of war", "Using great justice to defeat cruelty; using humanity to replace violence", Vietnam persistently adheres to the "four no's" defense policy: (1) Not participating in military alliances; (2) Not allying with one country to fight another; (3) Not allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use its territory to fight against another country; (4) Not using force or threatening to use force in international relations. Vietnam always steadfastly supports respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law; strongly supports the settlement of disputes by peaceful means, opposes unilateral actions, power politics, the use or threat of use of force in international relations.
8. Since the beginning of opening up and integrating, we have always identified ASEAN as a multilateral cooperation mechanism directly linked to and of primary importance to Vietnam. Over the past three decades since joining ASEAN in 1995, Vietnam has given top priority to consolidating and strengthening relations with neighboring and regional countries, making every effort to contribute to building a united, strong and self-reliant ASEAN Community, thereby affirming its international position as a member of the ASEAN family. Vietnam's foreign policy priority in the coming time is to work with ASEAN to continue building a strong, united community, contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
Standing at a new historical starting point, Vietnam and ASEAN are moving towards ambitious goals. In the next development journey with new expectations for ASEAN, Vietnam is more aware of its responsibility to proactively participate and contribute more to common work, with the motto of creativity in thinking, innovation in approach, flexibility in implementation, effectiveness in approach and determination in action. Vietnam will closely coordinate with ASEAN members to contribute to realizing potentials and resolving challenges, including efforts to build a regional structure that is inclusive, sustainable, connected in politics, security, economy, trade, culture, society and people-to-people exchange; at the same time, promoting conduct based on the United Nations Charter and international law as the best and most fundamental way to ensure peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.
Vietnam will continue to join hands with ASEAN countries to realize ASEAN's historic mission and spread ASEAN's success stories. For member countries, it is a story of solidarity, cohesion, mutual support, self-reliance, strategic autonomy, and successful implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, for the practical benefits of member countries and the Community. For the region, it is a story of comprehensive and extensive partnership between ASEAN and its partners in the spirit of goodwill, responsibility, mutual respect and mutual benefit, striving for peace, security, stability, prosperity and sustainable development. To the world, as a story of hope and inspiration, ASEAN is a successful model of integration, bringing confidence and motivation for solidarity and development cooperation in many parts of the world, linking regional concerns with global concerns, creating a resonant strength to effectively handle global issues, realizing the common aspiration for peace and development.
I wish Mr. Secretary General, ladies and gentlemen, good health, happiness and success.
Thank you very much for your attention .
Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/phat-bieu-chinh-sach-cua-tong-bi-thu-to-lam-tai-le-ky-niem-30-nam-viet-nam-gia-nhap-asean-387422.html
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