Vietnam helping to strengthen ASEAN unanimity in COVID-19 fight: Official
Vietnam has been effectively performing its role as ASEAN Chair in terms of enhancing the bloc’s unanimity and cooperating with other members in the COVID-19 response, according to the Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk.
Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk (Photo: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) - Vietnam hasbeen effectively performing its role as ASEAN Chair in terms of enhancing thebloc’s unanimity and cooperating with other members in the COVID-19 response,according to the Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk.
In a recent interview with the Vietnam NewsAgency, Lee, who is also a former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) toVietnam, said that since the beginning of this year Vietnam has been exerting everyeffort to promote a cohesive and responsive ASEAN.
Since the coronavirus first broke out, he wenton, the country emphasised the importance of solidarity in the bloc toconcurrently overcome the health crisis and recover the economy, noting that lastmonth Vietnam chaired the 36th ASEAN Summit, during which regional leadersaffirmed their resolve, political will, and solidarity to weather any and all difficulties.
ASEAN has a great deal of experience in cooperatingto overcome crises, he explained. For example, when the 1997 financial crisis struckthe region, ASEAN and the three northeast Asian countries - the RoK, Japan, andChina - created the ASEAN Plus Three mechanism.
Lee expressed his belief that under Vietnam’sguidance, the bloc will once again emerge victorious from the difficulties of today.The country has the necessary conditions to guide such efforts and minimise thespread of COVID-19, recover economies, and enhance the region’s competitivenessin the post-pandemic period.
He added that its efforts to promotemultilateralism in the region via ASEAN-created platforms will greatly help to bolstermutual trust and regional cooperation.
In discussing RoK-Vietnam relations, theSecretary General said Vietnam is the most important ASEAN partner for his homecountry and bilateral ties have been developing strongly in all regards for manyyears.
Two-way trade reached 70 billion USD last year -nearly 40 percent of the RoK’s total trade with all of ASEAN. Its investment inVietnam stands at 4.5 billion USD, putting it among the largest of foreigninvestors.
Growth in economic links has led to strongerpeople-to-people exchanges, he said, noting that about 4 million RoK people visitedVietnam in 2019 and that there are over 180,000 Koreans living in Vietnam atpresent, with a similar number of Vietnamese living in the RoK./.
As current Chair of ASEAN, Vietnam has shown its competency and leadership in navigating ASEAN at this unprecedented and challenging time, Chief Representative of Indonesia to ASEAN Ade Padmo Sarwono has said.
Vietnam has played a huge role in the ASEAN development over the last 25 years, Grigory Trofimchuk, Chairman of the Russia-based Expert Council of the Eurasian Foundation for Support of Scientific Research, has said.
Becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has brought about great benefits to Vietnam in various fields, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung.
Vietnam is a respectable, trustworthy, and constructive member of ASEAN, Frederick Kliem, an analyst with the Centre for Multilateralism Studies at the Singaporean-based S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, during which he emphasised that the country is now an integral part of the bloc after 25 years of membership.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh and the CPV, President Cuong said, the press has been a steadfast force on the ideological and cultural front, rallying the masses to pursue national aspirations.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man stressed the need to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence and smart teaching equipment, innovate teaching and assessment methods, and further improve the quality of formal education.
He also pledged that the NA will promote its ongoing supervision, making sure that every promise must lead to results, and every commitment must bring about real changes.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien welcomed the proposals put forward by the US side and reiterated Vietnam’s request for consideration of key areas of interest, including reciprocal tariff policies and access for Vietnamese key export products to the US market.
Deputy PM Le Thanh Long proposed countries promote shared values, including building trust, sincerity, and solidarity among nations and peoples; fostering cooperation spirit and responsible behaviour as well as upholding international law and the UN Charter; and placing people at the centre and as the goal, the key player, and the driving force of all policies.
The show, together with a grand parade to be held silmutaneously at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi, will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution, the National Day, and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA).
In particular, in April 2023, the two sides successfully carried out a joint operation that dismantled a major organised, transnational drug trafficking ring involving both Vietnamese and Cambodian suspects.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel is closely coordinating with relevant local agencies to stay informed and provide the utmost support possible for Vietnamese nationals.
The launch of Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper in 1925, even before the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is considered a testament to President Ho Chi Minh’s strategic foresight and strong belief in the guiding power of the revolutionary media.
New Zealand is currently one of Vietnam’s most important partners in the region, marked by a high level of political trust, strong and reliable defence and security cooperation, and increasingly open economic, trade, and investment ties.
Party General Secretary To Lam stressed that the Central Public Security Party Committee must be fully aware of the extremely important role of the People's Public Security force in the country's new revolutionary phase, so as to guide each branch and level of the force as the nation undergoes transformation.
Addressing concerns over university education spending, Son explained that as public universities gain greater autonomy, the Ministry of Finance has scaled back recurrent state funding. “Over the past decade, as autonomy has increased, the State's support has steadily declined”, he noted
Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane affirmed that the presence of Vietnamese press offices in Laos vividly demonstrates the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, as the press is not only a means of communication but also an important bridge for spreading consciousness about the history, values, and strategic depth of the Laos – Vietnam relationship to the people of both countries and the international community.
The country is willing to participate in collective efforts to promote cooperation and mobilise resources to advance the current priority issues of developing countries, such as trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity, making the most of scientific and technological advances for development, and people-to-people exchanges, Hang said.
During the negotiations, the US highly evaluated Vietnam’s goodwill and efforts, affirmed its appreciation for the bilateral relationship, acknowledged Vietnam’s proposals and concerns, and considered these an important basis for continuing discussions and moving towards a final agreement.
The Chairman stressed the need for stricter fiscal discipline, faster digital transformation, and more efficient management of State budget revenues and expenditures.
Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk (Photo: VNA) 
