(VOVworld) – Vietnam has made active contributions to building a cohesive, united, and strong ASEAN with an increasingly important position in the region and the world. In 2014, the year before the scheduled establishment of an ASEAN community, Vietnam has left important imprints in the ASEAN formation roadmap.

ASEAN Ministers gather at the AMM 47. (photo: VNA)

ASEAN cooperation has been considered a strategic factor in Vietnam’s security and development, as it further integrates into the world community. In 2014 Vietnam has effectively participated in forming an ASEAN community, enhancing unity, promoting ASEAN’s voice on regional issues, and making recommendations for the ASEAN community’s post-2015 vision.

Building an ASEAN community

ASEAN has accomplished a lot while implementing its 5-year community-building roadmap. The bloc has fulfilled 85% of its tasks for the three pillars of politics-security, economics, and culture-society. Vietnam has contributed to developing, sharing, and promoting ASEAN’s code of conduct and current cooperative mechanisms. Vietnam has fulfilled 90% of the workload relating to the economic pillar, ranking second after Singapore. Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said: “Vietnam has been a vanguard in implementing targets and the roadmap for the ASEAN community. Vietnam will continue to complete tasks at a high collaborative level.”

Fostering ASEAN solidarity

Last year ASEAN increased its responsibility and central role in ensuring regional peace, security, and stability, particularly in the East Sea. Vietnam has steadily insisted on national and international law and agreements signed between ASEAN and China and has fostered ASEAN solidarity. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ statement on May 10, 2014, on developments in the East Sea, and the AMM-47 communique described ASEAN’s commitment to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and its consensus on regional issues. Mr. Minh said: “East Sea issues have always been a shared concern of ASEAN countries. They have agreed to resolve East Sea issues by peaceful means, underlining the importance of restraint, not using or threatening to use force, and abiding by international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea. ASEAN countries agreed unanimously on the necessity of finalizing a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea between ASEAN and China.”

Making recommendations to ASEAN’s major orientations

ASEAN is on schedule to form an ASEAN community in 2015. The bloc has created an ASEAN community post-2015 vision and will establish a high-level task force to draft an implementation plan in January, 2015. The post-2015 vision is focused on fostering ASEAN connectivity at a higher level in the three pillars, promoting ASEAN as a people-oriented, people-centred community, and building a community resilient to emerging trends and challenges. Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh again: “After 2015 ASEAN will have to adopt a long-term vision for stronger growth. We’ll contribute to ASEAN unity to fulfill common goals. Vietnam will work with ASEAN to maintain regional peace and stability and enhance the bloc’s role in cooperation with its partners and developing a regional code of conduct.”

2015 will mark the formation of an ASEAN community and 20 years of Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN. In the future Vietnam will continue to push its active, responsible role, together with other ASEAN members, to build a stronger, more united, and developed community.