Moscow (VNA) – As Vietnam is servingas ASEAN Chair in 2020, many Russian experts have their belief in the SoutheastAsian nation’s activeness in promoting ASEAN-Russia cooperative relations.

In an article on Vietnam’s role and position inthe Russia-ASEAN cooperation published in a summary record on Russia-Vietnamrelations, Dr Ekaterina Koldunova, Associate Professor at the Department ofAsian and African Studies at the Moscow State Institute of InternationalRelations under Russia’s Foreign Ministry, held that a highlight of theRussia-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership is the more frequency ofhigh-level meetings compared to Russia’s ties with other ASEAN countries.

Before the establishment of the Russia-ASEANstrategic partnership in 2018, Russia and Vietnam had gained much experience inimplementing special economic projects. A free trade agreement between theEurasian Economic Union (EAEU), of which Russia is a member, and Vietnam wassigned in 2015 and took effect in 2016, becoming the first of its kind betweenthe EAEU and a Southeast Asian country.

Koldunova noted the two countries have longshared views on a number of strategic issues related to the Asia-Pacific, andthat Russia has advocated the full compliance with the Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), which was approved by ASEAN membernations and China in 2002, as well as the early signing of a code of conduct(COC) in the East Sea.


Holding the ASEAN Chairmanship this year, shesaid, Vietnam has had to deal with an array of complicated tasks, including theCOVID-19 pandemic and the swiftly changing regional and global situation.

However, its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 seems toremain “promising”, the expert noted, adding that there may appear unique areasof cooperation between Russia and ASEAN which is mainly based on Russia-Vietnamconnections in military medicine, emergency response, and scientific cooperationto fight against risks and challenges posed by epidemics.

In a book about Vietnam, Chairman of theExperts’ Council of the Eurasian Ideas Foundation Grigory Trofimchuk reservedmany pages for talking about the country’s role in popularising the image ofASEAN in not only Russia but also around the world.

Vietnam deserves a reward for its contributionsto the promotion of the bloc’s image on the global scale, according to theexpert on international affairs.

He wrote that Vietnam has been increasinglyasserting its role and stature in international and regional organisations,describing it as a truly trustworthy partner of countries in the internationalcommunity and a priority of Russia in the Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam has also taken active and proactive partin international organisations like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) forum and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and UN peacekeepingoperations while being elected a non-permanent member of the UN SecurityCouncil twice with very high numbers of votes.

The country has not only been activelyparticipating in international issues and integration process in many aspectsbut also helping with shaping the world, the expert added.

The summary record on Russia-Vietnam relationsand the book about Vietnam were published recently in Russia to mark the 70thfounding anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations./.