The ASEM High-Level Policy Dialogue has the participation of ministerial-level representatives, deputy ministers of member countries, Vice President of the European Commission, and speakers who are prestigious regional and international experts and scholars. (Photo: congthuong.vn)
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the ASEM, in Hanoi, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son chaired the ASEM High-Level Policy Dialogue with the theme "ASEM at 25: Strengthening Asia-Europe Partnership in a Transforming World", in both in-person and videoconference forms. The program was an opportunity for members to discuss orientations and visions of Asia-Europe cooperation in the new period; and contribute to keeping momentum and promoting ASEM cooperation. The results of the dialogue will contribute to the preparation for the 13th ASEM Summit, scheduled to be held on November 25-26, 2021 in Cambodia.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is one of the ASEM activities Vietnam has hosted, which is highly appreciated by many ASEM members and international organizations who sent delegates to attend in large numbers and at high levels.
Over the past 25 years, Vietnam has made many outstanding contributions to ASEM, including successfully hosting the 5th ASEM Summit (2004), 5 Ministerial Conferences in economic fields (2001), information technology (2006), diplomacy (2009), education (2009), labor (2012), and implementing many initiatives in specialized areas that are prioritized by ASEM.
Vietnam also participated twice in the proposal and promotion of expanding ASEM membership (ASEM 5, 2004 and the 9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting, 2009). Together with ASEM members, it joined in passing many important documents and decision orientations in the process of ASEM cooperation, such as "Hanoi Declaration on Closer ASEM Economic Partnership", "ASEM Declaration on Dialogue Between Cultures and Civilizations", and "Recommendations on improving ASEM operations" (2004).
So far, Vietnam is considered one of the most active members of the forum, proposing 29 initiatives and co-sponsoring 31 initiatives in practical areas with localities, businesses and people, such as culture, health, transportation, energy security, food security, climate change and science - technology.
Vietnam is also one of the leading countries initiating and maintaining the first cooperation mechanism in ASEM on water resource management, the ASEM Dialogue on Sustainable Development, which focuses on sub-regional cooperation in Mekong – Danube riverside countries, contributing to raising Mekong sub-regional cooperation to the inter-regional level.
Currently, Vietnam is actively promoting its role in 5 specialized cooperation groups to which it is a member: water management, disaster response, vocational training, education and human resource development, and technological connection./.