It also marks the 15^th year of Vietnam’s membership in ASEAN and the 1,000^th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi. It is of special honour and but very challenging for Vietnam to assume the ASEAN chair.

As ASEAN president, Vietnam will play a key role in initiating co-operative activities this year. It will give top priority to strengthening solidarity among ASEAN members, building the ASEAN community, putting the ASEAN charter into action, fostering co-operation between ASEAN and its partners, enhancing the role of ASEAN at regional forums, and maintaining peace, and stable growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

At the same time, Vietnam will work hard to promote its image as an emerging dynamic country that is independent in its foreign policy, friendly, and co-operative with all countries, and actively integrating into the region and the world.

Vietnam has chosen as a theme for 2010 “Towards the ASEAN community: from vision to action”. In keeping with this theme, Vietnam will work closely with other ASEAN members to implement the following targets:

Accelerate implementation of programmes to build three ASEAN communities, narrow the development gap between ASEAN members, and complete the ASEAN action plan on schedule by 2015.

Implemente the ASEAN charter, refine operating procedures, complete organizational charts and legal documents, and create a legal framework for ASEAN.

Foster relations with external partners, focusing on global priorities likes economic recovery, climate change, natural disasters, epidemics, and energy and food security.

Promote the status of ASEAN through consolidating and maintaining its key role in Southeast Asia, while expanding its role in regional and international forums, such as APEC, ASEM, the UN and G20.

To prepare for the ASEAN chairmanship, Vietnam has stepped up its involvement in ASEAN in recent years and made a strong impression through specific actions. The country acquitted itself well as vice chairman of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), chairman of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and coordinator of the ASEAN-Canada dialogue.

Vietnam got off to a good start by organising the ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Da Nang City from January 13-14.

Vietnam then presided over preparatory meetings for the annual Senior Official Meeting (SOM) in early March and is completing final preparations for the 16^th ASEAN summit in Hanoi in April.