Vietnam’s participation in 42nd ASEAN Summit to contribute to association’s success

The summit is one of the large-scale official multilateral foreign affairs activities that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends in 2023. The participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation in the 42nd ASEAN Summit not only demonstrates the country’s support for Indonesia in its role as ASEAN Chair 2023, but also actively actualizes foreign policies and guidelines on “continuing to promote and enhance the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration” set by the 13th National Party Congress.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit is the first official meeting since Indonesia undertook the role as ASEAN Chair 2023. It takes place in the context that the regional and international situations are developing complicatedly with many potential risks. Strategic competition among major countries tends to increase. Although the world economy has shown signs of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall growth rate is still low and precarious.

Over the past time, ASEAN has been making efforts to complete contents in the three main pillars in the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, namely politics – security, economy, and culture – society and preparing for the next development stage with the building of ASEAN Community Vision after 2025, which focuses on improving institutional capacity and promoting cooperation in inclusive recovery, digital transformation, circular economy, and sustainable development, among others.

ASEAN continues to firmly position its central role in the regional architecture. However, it must be acknowledged that although intra-group solidarity and ASEAN centrality continue to be promoted, the grouping is facing many internal and external challenges.

In this context, the 42nd ASEAN Summit, themed “A Strong ASEAN: The focal point of growth,” is an opportunity for leaders of member countries to discuss and put forward orientations to strengthen the community, raise self-reliance and adaptability, and promote the central role of the association in the face of current complexities and volatilities.

The 55 years of establishment and development has proven that ASEAN is getting stronger than before after facing difficulties, challenges, and crisis. Now it is proud to be a successful model of regional connectivity. The obtained achievements are a solid foundation for ASEAN to build a united, strong, prosperous, and resilient community with a high international role and position and for common interests.

Over the past three decades since its joining the “common roof” of ASEAN, Vietnam has affirmed that it is an integral part of the grouping and Southeast Asia region. The country is always a proactive, active, and responsible member as it participates in the work of the association and works together with member countries to maintain and uphold a balanced and harmonious approach to regional and international issues and enhance ASEAN’s responsibility and voice for peace, stability, and development.

With the spirit of pro-activeness, activeness, sincerity, trust, responsibility, flexibility, and creativity, Vietnam has done and will continue to do its best and cooperate with member countries to strengthen solidarity within the grouping and effectively respond to the challenges, thus continuing to write successful chapters of the association and making important contribution to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

Translated by Tran Hoai