Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh spoke at the international symposium on Việt Nam-ASEAN held in Hà Nội on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — As Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Việt Nam is exerting every effort to boost the building of a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community so the bloc can deal with all possible challenges and difficulties, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh has said.

Addressing an international symposium on 'Việt Nam-ASEAN: 25-year Journey and the Way Forward' on Wednesday, Minh said ASEAN is an important pillar in Việt Nam’s foreign policy and a framework for co-operation in security and development.

As the future of member states, including Việt Nam, is closely tied to ASEAN, all have responsibility for and an interest in consolidating a united and strong ASEAN Community that holds a deserving role and position in the region and the world.

Since entering ASEAN 25 years ago, Việt Nam has served as an active and responsible member that has contributed to the bloc’s development, the Vietnamese diplomat said.

“ASEAN has become a family of Southeast Asian nations that Việt Nam is honoured to be a member of,” he said, adding that from a humble beginning, ASEAN has grown to be one of the world’s most successful regional organisations.

Becoming an ASEAN member was also a good first step in Việt Nam’s regional and international integration, Minh said.

“We always treasure the support from our brother countries during the entire time,” he continued, adding that Việt Nam always strived to be a responsible and proactive member of ASEAN.

Minh also said the mutual understanding and strategic trust ASEAN has created over the decades will continue to serve as an important foundation for member states to boost win-win co-operation and dialogue to form a peaceful and favourable environment for sustainable development in the region.

The symposium, held online by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attracted the participation of ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, former ASEAN Secretary-General Lê Lương Minh, former Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, and Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office of Laos Bounkert Sangsomsak, among others.

It focused discussions on the importance of ASEAN for Việt Nam, the country’s participation in the bloc’s activities, lessons for the way forward, opportunities and challenges facing ASEAN in the time to come, and ASEAN in Việt Nam’s intensive and comprehensive international integration policy. — VNS