VN commits to fostering ASEAN connectivity

This is the first ASEAN Summit held since the official formation of the ASEAN Community on December 31, 2015. The meetings will focus discussion on strengthening ASEAN connectivity, solidarity and the bloc’s central role in the region while enhancing cooperation between the association and its partners. Leaders will also take the occasion to exchange views on regional and international issues of shared concerns.

So far, the association has gained positive strides in implementing ASEAN Vision 2025 and blueprints across three pillars.

Regarding the political-security pillar, 140 out of 290 action lines set in the ASEAN Blueprint 2025 have been implemented effectively, with the most outstanding examples including the launching of hotlines between ASEAN defense agencies and the establishment of ASEAN Centre of Military Medicine.

In economic term, 530 out of 611 action lines set in the blueprint are being carried out to promote trade of goods and services, competition, and protection of customers’ rights and intellectual property. The association is building a general strategic action plan for the ASEAN Economic Community through 2025.

Regarding culture and society, ASEAN is implementing activities across 109 action lines in the fields of education, youths, sports and culture.

The association is pushing ahead with the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to narrow development gaps in five areas: food and agriculture; trade facilitation; small-and medium-sized enterprises; education; and health and social welfare.

The Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 will be submitted to the bloc’s leaders, which focuses on five strategic fields: infrastructure; digital innovation; seamless logistics; optimizing policy making and implementing; and movement of natural persons.

Additionally, the bloc is further improving its operation and promoting awareness campaigns towards the celebration of the 50th founding anniversary of ASEAN in 2017.

Viet Nam has been an active, proactive and responsible member of ASEAN, and will continue to promote its role and cooperation with other members to implement the ASEAN Vision 2025.

Pushing cooperation with partners

In 2016, the relations between ASEAN and its partners have been further cemented and deepened via the implementation of action programs in the 2016-2020 period, especially via the successful organization of the U.S.-ASEAN Sunnylands Summit; the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia Federation Dialogue; as well as the ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers Meeting.

So far, 86 partners appointed ambassadors at ASEAN and 50 ASEAN Committees were found across the globe./.

By Kim Anh