Vietnam to affirm priority areas of co-operation at 42nd ASEAN Summit

PM Chinh and a high-ranking delegation from the country departed Hanoi for Indonesia on the morning of May 9 to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo which will run from May 9 to May 11 at the invitation of the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is also serving as chairman of the 42nd ASEAN Summit.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit takes place amid complicated developments in the world and in the region which have potential risks.

The global economy is showing signs of recovery following the pandemic, although the growth rate of production, trade, and investment remains low; the financial and monetary sectors have many potential insecurity; the process of restructuring production, trade, investment, and consumption has continued to get underway strongly; whilst the digital economy, green economy, and circular economy are being prioritised by many countries.

Some major economies have demonstrated their resilience to fluctuations. Most notably, the economies of China, India, and Southeast Asian countries are expected to return to play the role of growth engines of the global economy in the year ahead.

ASEAN is working to complete the Blueprint 2025 on all three pillars and prepare for the next stage of development with the formulation of the ASEAN Community Vision after 2025, which specifically focuses on improving institutional capacity, promoting co-operation based on current major trends such as inclusive recovery, digital transformation, the circular economy, and sustainable development.

The relationship between the bloc and its partners has been strengthened over recent years. Some partners have put forward specific initiatives and proposals such as upgrading the partnership, implementing priority contents in the relationship, and organising the Commemorative Summit or the first Summit with ASEAN.

At the 42nd ASEAN Summit themed “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”, Indonesia in the role of ASEAN Chair 2023, will offer many specific priorities and initiatives on all three Community pillars in order to improve the regional bloc's response capacity and turn ASEAN into a global growth engine, with a particular focus on energy security, food security, health resilience, along with economic and financial stability.

Sessions within the summit will focus on the process of building the ASEAN Community and discuss international and regional issues of shared concern.

Dialogue sessions between leaders of ASEAN countries and representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC), and the High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision are also planned.

The summit is expected to consider and approve many important documents relating to c-ooperation in all three pillars: the ASEAN political-security community, economics, and socio-culture.

PM Chinh's attendance at the summit strongly indicates the message of a country that actively participates and contributes responsibly alongside member states in a bid to maintain and enhance ASEAN’s central role and promote responsibility for the bloc’s voice for peace, stability, and development in the region and in the world. This is along with helping to reinforce ASEAN’s solidarity and effectively responding to challenges ahead.