Cambodian scholar hails Vietnamese role in reinforcing ASEAN solidarity
VOV.VN - The nation has made active and responsible contributions to solidifying and expanding solidarity within ASEAN over the past 28 years since it joined the regional bloc.
Uch Leang, deputy director of the Department of Asian, African, and Middle-East Studies under the International Relations Institute of Cambodia (IRIC), made the statement in a recent media interview.
He outlined that immediately after becoming a member of the bloc in 1995, Vietnam actively accelerated the accession of Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar to this regional organisation. Those efforts duly contributed to realising the idea of a bloc consisting of 10 Southeast Asian countries, thereby creating a new dynamic for the whole region.
Furthermore, the nation has also actively contributed to outlining the ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, and the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community, along with many other important agreements, especially relating to connectivity and narrowing the development gap between member states.
The Cambodian expert glowingly spoke of the Vietnamese push for the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) to become a code of conduct for the relationship between member states and those outside of the region, as well as its participation in the development and adoption of the ASEAN Outlook for the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). This will serve to help shape the common stance of ASEAN whilst promoting appropriate co-operation on the basis of complying with ASEAN's values, principles, and centrality.
Highlighting Vietnamese determination to deal with challenges facing ASEAN members, he applauded the nation’s capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in its prompt implementation of the vaccination for people and rapid post-pandemic economic recovery.
As the ASEAN chair in 2020, the country worked hand in hand with other members in a bid to speed up smooth integration of the ASEAN community, as well as being ready for the implementation of active response measures aimed at minimising the impact of the pandemic, he went on.
Regarding the settlement of disputes in the East Sea, the country has underscored the stance of restraint and not further complicating the situation, whilst settling disputes on the basis of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. According to Leang, this has contributed to maintaining peace, security, and freedom of navigation and aviation in the sea.