Vietnam advocates ASEAN's stance on solidarity, unity and centrality

PM Chinh will pay an official visit to Cambodia from November 8 to November 9, and attend the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related meetings from November 10 to November 13, marking the resumption of direct exchanges and dialogues between leaders after a hiatus of more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This marks the first official visit to Cambodia made by the leader in the role of PM, as well as the first visit made by a senior Vietnamese leader to Cambodia during the Vietnam - Cambodia friendship year.

At the meetings, PM Chinh will give important speeches, sharing the country’s stance, as well as proposals aimed at strengthening solidarity, unity, the centrality of ASEAN, regional connectivity, and co-operation in areas of mutual interest. This is along with boosting relations between ASEAN and partners, as well as exchanging views on international and regional issues with a balanced approach and harmony.

Following the motto of being proactive, active, and responsible, the nation consistently affirms its external policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralisation, comprehensive and extensive international integration, along with positive contributions to the common work of the bloc.

This can also be viewed as an opportunity for the country to share policies, efforts, and successes in the process of recovery and socio-economic development following the pandemic.

Along with activities held within the ASEAN framework, the PM will hold a host of meetings with leaders of countries and partners to compare notes on issues of shared concern.

Both Vietnam and Cambodia are two close neighbours, sharing the same border, the same Mekong river, and maintaining close-knit relations across a variety of fields.

This official visit to Cambodia by PM Chinh is of multifaceted significance, particularly as it will take place in the "Vietnam - Cambodia Year of Friendship 2022" to celebrate the 55th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two sides.

Through these meetings, both nations’ PMs will review the overall relationship, thereby adding fresh drive and identifying new dynamics and measures to ramp up bilateral ties into a new substantive and more efficient and reliable stage. Within the framework of the visit a host of important agreements in various fields will be signed.

The 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related meetings will take place amid the world and the wider region witnessing fluctuations and instabilities.

The prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation in the East Sea and Myanmar, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and issues on the Korean peninsula have seen complicated developments in recent times, thereby having many consequences for peace, security, stability, and development.

The global economy has shown plenty of signs of post-pandemic recovery, although it is not sustainable, mainly due to supply chain congestion, shifts in operational model of economies, and labour shortages.

The Asia-Pacific region has emerged as a fast-recovering region, although due to many impacts, the regional economy cannot be considered sustainable.

In this context, ASEAN remains united on many issues, achieving positive results in the community-building process.

Along with accelerating the timely finalisation of the Master Plan on the three community pillars by 2025, the bloc has began to discuss the Vision of the ASEAN Community after 2025, with the overall orientation on reinforcing solidarity and self-reliance, adaptation, and ASEAN’s centrality.

Digital transformation, green growth, and inevitable trends are also increasingly being promoted in ASEAN.

However, the bloc is facing numerous challenges both internally and externally, including Myanmar-related issues, increasing competition for major powers, and complicated developments relating to epidemics and natural disasters.

Through the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and related meetings, leaders of countries will spend time to discuss efforts to build an ASEAN Community towards enhancing solidarity and ASEAN centrality. This will be done whilst reviewing the relationship between ASEAN and its partners, as well as exchanging views on many strategic issues throughout the region and the world.

Within the framework of the summits, there will be more than 20 activities, with the participation of leaders of ASEAN member states and 10 partners, including the 40th and 41st ASEAN, ASEAN+1, and ASEAN+3 summits, along with East Asia Summits (EAS).

As part of this occasion, the 2nd ASEAN Global Dialogue will also take place with the participation of leaders of ASEAN member states and representatives of international organisations. This includes the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, the Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the Asian Development Bank to discuss regional and global economic recovery efforts.

Furthermore, ASEAN is expected to announce the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) with the United States and India.

Leaders attending the event are also expected to ratify and recognize more than 100 documents on many important areas of co-operation within the bloc and between ASEAN and its partners.