Jakarta, 24 December 2022 (TDI): President of Vietnam, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on 23 December 2022, addressed the meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta.
Talking to ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and Ambassadors and Chargé d’Affaires of member states Phuc said that “over the past years, a united ASEAN has stood firm, matured, and grown stronger.
Its reputation is increasing, and its central role in the international arena is confirmed”. He further affirmed that “This is a result of the cooperation and joint efforts of each member of the ASEAN community”.
The President said that the Secretary-General efforts have helped ASEAN develop strongly amidst difficulties. In addition, it has successfully carried out initiatives to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, Phuc expressed his hope that the official, in any position, will continue his contributions to the development of the bloc.
In his speech, Lim stressed that Vietnam’s admission as an ASEAN member state in 1995 was a historic landmark. This has created momentum for ASEAN to accept other Southeast Asian nations.
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According to him, together with other ASEAN member states, Vietnam has played its part in developing ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision.
Furthermore, as the Chair of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Task Force last year, Vietnam played the leading role as a strong driver of the initiative towards narrowing the development gap between ASEAN member states.
Statement made by Secretary-General
The Secretary-General expressed his belief that with its strong commitment to integration and dedicated leadership, Vietnam will continue to make greater contributions. This will lead to the development of a forward-looking ASEAN which leaves no one behind.
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However, over the past 27 years, Vietnam has made important contributions to ASEAN’s unity and centrality. Some of its prominent contributions are the Hanoi Declaration and the Hanoi Plan of Action in 1998.
Additionally, the most recent success was achieved during Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020. The theme was “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”. This marks an important contribution to ASEAN’s Community building process.
