Vietnam's peace, security and sustainable development are organically linked with ASEAN.
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| General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn and his wife, cut the cake to celebrate 30 years of Vietnam joining ASEAN. (Photo: Tuan Anh) |
The visit of General Secretary To Lam on March 10 marked the first time the head of the Communist Party of Vietnam visited the ASEAN headquarters in Jakarta, Indonesia. This is a historic event, demonstrating the important position of ASEAN in Vietnam's foreign policy, especially in the new era, the era of the Vietnamese people's rise. On this occasion, I have some thoughts on the "mission" of ASEAN and the "mission" of Vietnam in ASEAN in the new context.
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| Ambassador Nguyen Trung Thanh. (Photo: NVCC) |
The more polarized the world becomes, the more ASEAN must unite and play its central role. The more geostrategic competition among major powers increases, the more ASEAN must be strategically autonomous, inclusive and balanced.
The more unpredictable the world situation is, the more ASEAN must be proactive, flexible, intelligent, and decisive, promoting the ASEAN way on the basis of maintaining principles but needing to be flexible in making decisions in a proactive, positive manner and keeping up with the times.
The more multilateral cooperation is “underestimated”, the more regional cooperation within ASEAN and with the outside world must be promoted. The more international law is disregarded, the more ASEAN must take the lead in building a rules-based world order.
Smart and dynamic consensus in ASEAN means that ASEAN respects diversity but needs to increase consensus. In a multipolar, fragmented world, small and medium-sized countries need to unite and gather together. This can be considered a “bloody lesson”.
Vietnam's accession to ASEAN not only turned Southeast Asia into a truly peaceful, developed and connected region with natural logic, but also marked the opening of an unprecedented era of integration in Vietnam's history with the entire world. 30 years is a historic journey not only of regional integration but also of Vietnam's entire cause of innovation and international integration.
30 years in the “roof” of ASEAN are the first 3 decades of opening the way and shaping. The coming time will be the journey of Vietnam rising up with ASEAN. Vietnam’s peace, security and sustainable development are organically linked with ASEAN. To “stand shoulder to shoulder with the world powers” as President Ho Chi Minh always expected, it will also come from ASEAN and with ASEAN.
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