Hanoi (VNA) - Advancing ASEAN’s contribution to maintaining regional peace,security and stability has been identified as one of ༒five key priorities for Vietnam’sASEAN Chairmanship 2020, wrote Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of ForeignAffairs Pham Binh Minh in an article. Below is a translation of the article.

January 1, 2020 marks Vietnam’sofficial assumption of its ASEAN Chairmanship 2020. As both the ASEAN Chair for 2020 and a non-permanent memberof the United Nations Security Council for 2020 – 2021, Vietnam isstanding before numerous opportunities to showcase its role in the region and the world. Prior to this year’s ASEAN Chairmanship, Vietnamsuccessfully hosted the 6th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in 1998, and presided over the34th ASEAN Standing Committee (ASC) from July 2000 to July2001 and fulfilled the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2010. Since the end of2018, Vietnam has been making active preparations for the ASEAN Chairmanship 2020. We are seeking to add newbuilding blocks to the ASEAN Community building, and achieve synergy between our ASEAN Chairmanship and UNSC non-permanent membership in line with the Politburo’s Resolution 22-NQ/TW dated April 10, 2013 on international integration, and the Secretariat’sDirective 25-CT/TW dated August 8, 2018 on promotingand elevatingthe Vietnamese multilateral diplomacy until 2030. The ASEAN came into being on August 8, 1967 with its Bangkok Declaration, demonstrating its ambition of an association under which all Southeast Asian countries would work together for a region of peace, freedom and prosperity. Over the years,the dream ofan ASEAN uniting the ten Southeast Asian nations underits banner has become a reality. TheASEAN Community was formed on December 31, 2015, gradually establishingitself as a model Community: politically cohesive, economically integrated and sociallyresponsible. ASEAN has thus become an important partner for countries beyond the region, and a central player in various dialogue and cooperation processes. Witha view to realizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Community has beenstriving for cohesion and consolidating its centrality in the regional processes forpeace, security, stability and development in Southeast Asia. The voice of theASEAN Community is growing in importance in the evolving regional architecture and with regards to major international issues.  Within thestrategic considerations of major powers, ASEAN has become a key partner for dialogue and cooperation in the region. After steppingaboard the ship that is ASEAN in 1995, Vietnam and fellow ASEAN member states have together bravelysailed through the turbulent high seas. The resilience of ASEAN today bears themark of Vietnam’s tireless effort in cultivating thesolidarity and unity that enabled ASEAN to surmount times of hardship andadversity. Assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship uponthe 25th anniversary of our membership presents us withmultiple advantages and yet numerous challenges. Therefore, promoting vigorous emergenceand sustainable development of ASEAN will be apractical contribution that Vietnam can make to the Community. The world continues to witness uncertainties andincreasing rivalry among major powers. ASEAN, geo-strategically located at thecenter of a vast area connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is facing novelopportunities and challenges. With a population exceeding 642 million and anarea of more than 1.7 million square kilometers, ASEAN represents a market withimmense potential, a dynamic economy and a bright spot in the global economy.ASEAN members have also been constantly striving for new heights, harnessingthe benefits of the 4th Industrial Revolution by adopting newtechnologies such as AI and cutting-edge robotics. However, the rise ofprotectionism and trade friction among major powers are posing challenges andhindering the global trade and economic growth. At the same time, disparitiesin economic development among member states and demands for deeper integrationin the new phase of development require suitable economic policies from governments.Thus, ASEAN needs to maximize the extant opportunities, effectively addresschallenges and avoid falling behind in order to maintain sustainable growth. By choosing the theme of “Cohesive and Responsive”for ASEAN Vietnam 2020, we wish to highlight the decisive role of solidarityand unity in maintaining the sustainability of ASEAN. Only a cohesive and advancedASEAN Community may effectively respond to external influences, whereasresponsiveness would allow ASEAN to further strengthen its cohesion, therebyenhancing its overall capacities. This theme is built on the previous ASEAN themesin 2019 – “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability” and in 2018 – “Resilienceand Innovation”. It has also earned strong support from ASEAN member states andits partners. Reality has proven that in order to persevere beforeand respond effectively to the manifold turmoil in the region and the world, ASEANneeds to maintain solidarity and unity, bolster its economic resilience, enhanceits rapid responsiveness to emerging challenges, and foster innovation,initiative and reinvention to vigorously drive itself forward. Alongside reinforcinginternal capacities, how to skillfully coordinate external relations and effectivelyharness the resources from our partners to serve the shared interests are otherpuzzles that need to be addressed. Thus, in order to translate the theme of “Cohesiveand Responsive” into reality, Vietnam has identified 5 key priorities for our ASEANChairmanship in 2020, as follows. First, to advance ASEAN’s active role andcontribution to the maintenance of the regional peace, security and stability. This shall be done by consolidatingASEAN’s solidarity and unity, fostering stronger cohesion and mutual support amongits member states, improving the coordination of ASEAN positions in addressingregional and international issues, promoting the formulation and observance of commonrules and norms of conduct in the relations among states, and thereby allowingASEAN to timely and effectively respond to any threats to the regional peace,security and stability. Second, to promote regional connectivity andintegration, heighten our responsiveness and harness opportunities arising fromthe fourth Industrial Revolution. This involves extensive economic integrationand comprehensive connectivity within ASEAN and between ASEAN with its partners,and sustainable and inclusive economic, financial and social developmentgrounded on innovation and the use of digital and novel technologies. Theprocess would also include sustained efforts to narrow development gaps, builda quality workforce, and improve social services for our citizens. Third, to foster the ASEAN sense of community andidentity by cultivating a set of ASEAN shared values and instilling these valuesamong the ASEAN people, promoting an awareness and identity of an ASEANCommunity united in diversity, and popularizing the image of the ASEANCommunity in the region and the world. Fourth, to advance partnerships for peace andsustainable development with countries around the world. We seek to promote ASEAN’srole and contributions in the international community, and expand and elevate relationswith partners all over the world, and thereby contributing to the formulation ofthe new regional and global architecture and rules. To realize these targets, the fifth priority of noless importance is to improve the responsiveness and operational effectivenessof ASEAN organs via  institutionalreforms, and adjustment, improvement and upgrade of ASEAN’s procedures andstandards.  December 2018 saw the establishmentof the ASEAN 2020 National Committee. With this landmark, the preparation forour Chairmanship has progressed in all dimensions, from working agendas,protocol, communications and culture, logistics, to security and healthcare. Inthis endeavor, Vietnam is enjoying the support from fellow ASEAN member states,partners and friends, and the active participation of all central and localagencies and most notably the entire Vietnamese people. We are, therefore,confident that we will successfully fulfill our mandate as the ASEAN Chair for2020, and contribute to ushering in a cohesive and responsive ASEAN and realizingthe ASEAN Community Vision 2025. As the ASEAN Chair, Vietnam also looks forwardto strengthening relations between regional and global organizations via ourconcurrent capacity as a non-permanent member of the United Nations SecurityCouncil. This would help advance ASEAN’s status and reinforce its centrality inthe region and the world./.