Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) hasproven its special position in the building of the ASEAN Community, Minister ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung wrote in an article on theoccasion of the 51st founding anniversary of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

As one of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, the ASCC aims toenhance the quality of life of its people through cooperation activities thatare people-oriented, people-centred, and geared toward sustainable unity among ASEAN members and people through creating ashared identity and an inclusive sharing and caring society where people’s lifeand welfare are enhanced.

According to the minister, from 2015 (the year the ASEAN Community wasset up) to now, 8 percent of specific activities for building the ASCC havebeen completed, 47 percent of others are being implemented and the remaining 45percent will be carry out in following years.

This year, the ASCC, under the chair of Singapore, is continuing withefforts to realise the ASEAN Community Vision to 2025. Initiatives put forwardin 2018 focus on key and emerging issues such as response to climate change,core values in digital technology, youth issues, and mitigation of negativeeffects of fake news. One noteworthy initiative is the ASEAN smart citynetwork, which looks to improve the living conditions and livelihoods ofresidents in ASEAN urban areas.

Minister Dung affirmed that along with the joint efforts, Vietnam is aleading member in implementing the ASCC blueprint to 2025.  

Following the issuance of a project on building and carrying out anational plan to realise ASCC targets to 2025 in January 2016, the Ministry ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs, as the national coordinator in the field,has been pushing hard the implementation of the national plan.

The ministry has held many training courses and workshops on the ASCCfor ministries, sectors and relevant agencies of 63 provinces and centrally-runcities. The country’s ministries, agencies and local administrations have builttheir own plans of action to carry out the national plan.

Activities towards the goal of connecting and bringing benefits to thepeople have been combined with enhancing institutional capacity, perfectingorganisation and reforming administrative procedures to better serve people andbusinesses.

Attention has been paid to communications activities to enhance public awarenessabout the ASEAN Community and the benefits that the bloc brings about.

Policies have been devised and enforced on expanding and improvingsocial welfare, labour and employment, health care, education, gender equalityand support for the elderly, people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups.

The ASCC’s goal of a sustainable community in terms of environmentalprotection is implemented through specific measures and projects on protecting specializedforests, mitigating climate change impacts, and involving the people inpreserving natural resources and the environment.

Ministries, agencies and localities have acted towards a dynamic ASEANcommunity in many forms, for example the Ministry of Education and Training(MoET) has supported the teaching of ASEAN languages and promoted exchangesbetween Vietnamese students and linguists and their ASEAN counterparts. Fiveuniversities in Vietnam have made Thai language part of their curricula, andthe MoET is cooperating with its Thai counterpart on the teaching of Vietnamesein Thailand. Meanwhile, 13 general schools in Vietnam and Singapore have set uptwin relations.  

According to the minister, Vietnam will steer its participation in ASEANcooperation in the spirit of “active, proactive and responsible cooperation”.

The country will take the initiative in proposing new and feasible ideason promoting intra-bloc cooperation and connectivity along with expandingexternal relations and strengthening the bloc’s central role in the shapingregional structure.

Vietnam will actively join ASEAN efforts to settle complicated problems insidethe bloc as well as regional and global challenges that threaten regionalpeace, security and stability, in order to maintain the vitality, values and positionof the regional grouping in the new situation.

The country will, together with ASEAN as a whole, implement fully andeffectively existing agreements and commitments, with the leading priority ofsuccessfully building a strong, united and cohesive ASEAN Community.-VNA