At an international container port in Hải Phòng city VNA/VNS Photo

JAKARTA — Việt Nam’s remarkable economic growth has become a source of inspiration for other member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Lamijo, a Southeast Asia researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

Speaking to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)’s resident reporter in Jakarta ahead of the 80th anniversary of Việt Nam’s National Day (September 2), Lamijo, who used to live in and visit Việt Nam many times, said Việt Nam’s success has evoked confidence that with strategic vision, political stability and a strong commitment to reform, ASEAN nations can narrow development gaps and rise more competitively on the global stage.

Impressed by Việt Nam’s socio-economic progress, particularly since its Đổi mới (renewal) began nearly four decades ago, he said Việt Nam’s gross domestic product grew nearly 60-fold to more than US$476 billion in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of around six per cent. Last year, the Vietnamese economy grew by 7.09 per cent, placing it among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Poverty has plummeted to below three per cent, driven by a per capita income rise to roughly $4,500 in 2023-2024.

Infrastructure investment has been a key driver of this success, enabling seamless movement of goods, services, and people. Most recently, plans for cross-border railway and expressway corridors linking China and Southeast Asia hold strategic importance at global, regional and national levels, he said.

On the social front, Lamijo highlighted Việt Nam’s important role within ASEAN, reflected through various cooperation initiatives, including the use of digital technologies to bolster social programmes and disaster response. He pointed to Việt Nam’s exemplary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country combined technology with social coordination to minimise the crisis’s impact and fuel a rapid recovery. It is no surprise that Việt Nam emerged as a standout in ASEAN and beyond, he noted.

Việt Nam’s global presence is equally impressive, Lamijo said. Its active roles in ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United Nations (UN) Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) reflect its growing stature. He also noted Việt Nam’s notable contributions as a non-permanent member of the UNSC and its leadership during its terms as ASEAN Chair and Chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), with many countries viewing it as a nation of strategic importance.

He further praised Việt Nam’s ability to maintain a neutral stance while demonstrating clear decisiveness through its flexible and pragmatic diplomacy. With this dynamic approach, both adaptable and firm, Việt Nam has managed to safeguard its sovereignty, effectively navigate global shifts, and protect national and ASEAN interests.

As Indonesia and Việt Nam are celebrating the 80th anniversary of their National Days, Lamijo saw a moment for reflection and reinvention. The milestones offer a chance for both nations to redefine their roles in a shifting regional order, he said.

The upcoming 80th anniversaries also spotlight opportunities for the two nations, as comprehensive strategic partners and active collaborators within ASEAN, to pursue new successes in economic, trade, maritime ties, green transition and digital transformation, food and energy security, he concluded. — VNS