ASEAN flag hoisting in January 6th (Photo: congthuong.vn)
Vietnam joined ASEAN in 1995 before officially becoming a member of a series of international organizations, laying a foundation for Vietnam’s strategies in integrations later on, both in external affairs and economic cooperation.
Throughout the years since joining ASEAN in 1995 and the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1996, Vietnam has grown in terms of integration viewpoint and in realizing integration commitments.
ASEAN is now one of leading partners of Vietnam in all areas, from economics and trade to investment, with the two-way trade turnover increasing from USD5.9 billion in 1996 to some USD56.3 billion in 2018.
Vietnam has signed 13 free trade agreements (FTAs), including a lot of new generation FTAs; and set up economic relations with world largest economies, which demonstrates that Vietnam’s position has been remarkably increased.
Many experts agree that Vietnam’s cooperation with ASEAN has included initial steps in creating driving force for economic restructuring, renewal of growth model, and the building of law-regulated State.
The establishment of the ASEAN Community in December 2015 witnessed the joint vision of ASEAN member countries’ leaders, with active contributions from Vietnam.
Vietnam took its first ASEAN Chairmanship in 2010. In 1998, Vietnam successfully organized the 6th ASEAN Summit with the adoption of the Hanoi Action Plan, which was highly appreciated by international friends and community.
Compared to 10 years ago, the position of ASEAN Chairman of Vietnam in 2020 is now different, with different conditions, and with new advantages and new difficulties.
With the theme of ASEAN Year 2020 “Cohesive and Responsive”, ASEAN stresses the need to adjust and overcome weaknesses in cooperation mechanisms and framework so as to maintain a dynamic economic area in the region and the world.
Vietnam prioritizes to inherit the orientations in the previous development periods of ASEAN but still fully reflect the general development trend of the region and the world while satisfying the demand for development of ASEAN and its partners.
All of this requires the ASEAN Chair to be able to grasp and run the organization for ensuring resilience to the new environment, continuing to create new vitality for ASEAN as well as for ASEAN cooperation frameworks with partners.
In 2020, as Chairman of ASEAN, Vietnam will chair over 300 activities at different levels, notably the 36th ASEAN Summit in April, the 37th ASEAN Summit and related conferences in Hanoi in November.
Meanwhile, it will issue 16-17 initiatives which will perform in different areas like economics, trade, investment, technology, mechanism and infrastructure./.