Shortly after that, Vietnam worked hard to promote the admission of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to ASEAN, realising the goal of forming a 10-member grouping in Southeast Asia and opening up a new chapter for cooperation in the region.

The establishment of a 10-member bloc is one of the milestones in ASEAN’s history, creating a prerequisite for ASEAN to become a complete regional organisation, which encourages deep integration and has a strong voice in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Vietnam has since made important contributions to the grouping’s cooperation areas, while working together with other member states to set a new course of development for ASEAN, thereby raising the grouping’s profile globally.

With a desire to build a region of peace, stability and prosperity, Vietnam and other ASEAN member states have overcome historical differences to increase cooperation in the spirit of friendship and solidarity.

Three years after joining the grouping, Vietnam hosted the 6^th ASEAN summit, which adopted the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) to realise the ASEAN Vision 2020. The success of the event helped ASEAN consolidate solidarity, boost cooperation and lift its international status to weather the regional financial turbulence in 1997-98.

Vietnam later fulfilled its role as ASEAN Standing Committee President from July 2000-July 2001. Its success was marked by the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration on Narrowing the Development Gap at the 34^th AMM meeting in Hanoi in July 2001, demonstrating ASEAN member states’ determination to boost regional cooperation and integration for the sake of equitable and sustainable development.

Vietnam has made significant contributions to ASEAN’s cooperation in security-politics, economics, culture and social affairs, and diplomacy. This was the result of Vietnamese ministries and relevant agencies’ proactive and responsible participation, including hosting major ASEAN events and putting forward valuable initiatives.

Vietnam has also collaborated with other members in building an ASEAN community by 2015, based on the three pillars of politics-security, economics, and socio-cultural affairs and operating in line with the ASEAN Charter. It has performed its role in establishing proposals, making policies, and developing and implementing major documents of ASEAN towards the goal of forming an ASEAN Community. The documents include the ASEAN Concord II, the Vientiane Action Programme (2004), the ASEAN Charter (2007), the Roadmap for building the ASEAN community and the Initiative on ASEAN Integration (IAI) on Narrowing the Development Gap (2009).

This year Vietnam has chaired ASEAN for the second time since joining the grouping. Under the theme Towards an ASEAN Community: From Vision to Action, Vietnam is making every effort to coordinate activities and work out specific measures to effectively implement the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Community Roadmap, while at the same time expanding cooperation between ASEAN and its dialogue partners and consolidating the grouping’s central role in settling regional issues. The success of the 16^th ASEAN summit in Hanoi in April 2010 and the freshly concluded 43^rd AMM and related meetings testified to Vietnam’s efforts to realise the goal of the ASEAN Community.

Results show that Vietnam’s admission to ASEAN was a timely and correct decision, which has brought important and practical benefits to the country in terms of politics-security, economics, culture-social affairs and diplomacy. Overall, this has created a favourable environment for national construction and defence, as well as supporting Vietnam in regional and global integration.

Membership has helped Vietnam make full use of overseas resources for national socio-economic development. Joining intra-bloc economic links and free trade areas between ASEAN and its partners has enabled the country to attract foreign investment and explore potential markets in the region and the rest of the world.

Vietnam has also observed ASEAN-affiliated sci-tech advances, modern management skills and quality human resources while enhancing its own institutions and ability to handle trans-national issues such as environmental pollution, natural calamities, epidemics and climate change.

Membership has created the chance for Vietnam to expand relations with non-ASEAN countries, especially several global economic powers, and take a stronger role in inter-regional cooperation institutions such as ASEAN +3 (Japan, China and the Republic of Korea), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asia-pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Regional integration has also helped Vietnam increase the capacity of its officials involved in bilateral and multilateral activities, and finalise policies meeting integration requirements.

Vietnam is aware that Southeast Asia holds a strategic position, and that a closely integrated and united ASEAN with an increased international role serves the country’s fundamental and long-term interests.

Entering the new era, Vietnam continues to take part in regional cooperation in an active, positive and responsible manner. It is active in putting forward new initiatives to boost ASEAN cooperation and integration. It is collaborating with ASEAN to deal with difficulties and challenges to maintain the vitality and value of the grouping. It is also working with ASEAN to fully implement agreements and commitments, with priority given to successfully building a strong and united ASEAN community.

To this end, Vietnamese ministries and relevant agencies should prepare human resources and finance, and introduce initiatives to increase ASEAN cooperation in appropriate areas in order to make the most of opportunities and practical interests.

Currently, Vietnam is making every effort to fulfil its role as ASEAN Chair in 2010 and elevate its profile regionally and internationally. As an inseparable part of ASEAN, Vietnam is committed to working closer together with ASEAN to achieve its goals.