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| The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a flag-hoisting ceremony in Hà Nội Tuesday to mark the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and 22 years of Việt Nam’s membership in the bloc. VNA/VNS photo Nguyễn Khang |
Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a flag-hoisting ceremony in Hà Nội Tuesday to mark the 50th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and 22 years of Việt Nam’s membership in the bloc.
Addressing the ceremony, Deputy FM Bùi Thanh Sơn emphasised that the founding of the ASEAN Community in 2015 was a historic milestone in the connectivity process of the regional bloc, having special significance for the region and each member nation.
He said that with a population of 630 million, a GDP of almost US$3 trillion and a growth rate of 4.7 per cent in 2016, ASEAN was the driving force of the regional economy.
He also said that as a prestigious organisation in the Asia-Pacific region, ASEAN operations were based on its charter, uniform values and principles. The “ASEAN way” was built on foundations of Eastern culture, attaching importance to solidarity and common prosperity, tolerance and harmonious interests, factors that have helped the bloc achieve successes over the past five decades, he added.
Sơn said ASEAN co-operation was one of the top foreign policy priorities for Việt Nam. The country was proud of its active, proactive participation and considerable contributions to the co-operation process and building of the ASEAN Community.
Việt Nam has been involved in the drafting of major orientations for the bloc’s development. The country has also put forth many suggestions on maintaining a secure and stable environment for co-operation in the region, he noted.
The deputy minister expressed his belief that ASEAN would build on past achievements and grow strongly in the future.
He said in a changing world situation, ASEAN’s achievements of co-operation in general and of economic-trade co-operation in particular prove that the bloc has made the right choice in its guidelines and policies, he added. — VNS
