An article titled “Vietnam’s influence in ASEAN meetings 2021” mentioned Vietnam’s ‘Cohesiveness and Responsive’ theme for 2020. It said the theme highlighted ASEAN’s unity and solidarity in the face of growing challenges.

Under Vietnam’s chairmanship, all channels of communication between ASEAN members were activated to share problems and take appropriate actions.

The article said Vietnam paid close attention last year to Indo-Pacific policy and pushed the ASEAN Outlook for Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

This year, Brunei has highlighted the need to engage external partners through ASEAN-led mechanisms in order to build mutual trust and confidence and reinforce an open, transparent, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture with ASEAN at the centre, it added.