Illustrative image (Photo: Internet)

Hanoi (VNA) – The 53-year history of the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has proved that a united grouping with closelinkages and combined national and regional interests will be able to maintainits central role.

The idea on an ASEAN Community was mentioned very early one, when ASEANleaders adopted an ASEAN Vision to 2020 in 1997. In 2003, ASEAN leaders madethe officially decision on building the ASEAN Community by 2020. Four yearslater, the leaders agreed to strive to realize the goal in 2015, five yearsahead of the initial target.

Towards this goal, in January 2009, ASEAN leaders adopted a roadmap for2009-2015 and blueprints to build the community’s three pillars – politics-security,economy, and culture-society, with more than 800 specific action lines. AnASEAN Charter was signed in November 2007 and took effect in December 2008,laying the legal foundation and institutional framework for the ASEANCommunity.

Along with the building of the ASEAN Community, ASEAN also works toward deepeningits relations with partners and maintaining its centrality in the regionthrough cooperation frameworks integrated into the operation of each pillar ofthe ASEAN Community.

The bloc has become an important partner of many countries and regional andinternational organisations. All partners attach importance to their relationswith ASEAN, promote their all-round cooperation with the bloc bothmultilaterally and bilaterally, assist the grouping in building the communityand support its centrality in the region.

So far 93 countries have assigned their ambassadors to the ASEAN, whilethe grouping has established 54 ASEAN Committees in third countries andinternational organisations to promote joint work in issues of ASEAN interestand the bloc’s image.

The ASEAN has played the role as the main driver of cooperation andconnectivity in East Asia, especially in economy-trade. Along with building theASEAN Economic Community, the bloc has led the formation of a network of freetrade areas (FTAs) with each important partner such as China, Japan, theRepublic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, as well as pushing aheadwith diverse economic-trade cooperation programmes with major partners like theUS, Canada, the EU and Russia. ASEAN is conducting negotiations on a RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

In the context of uncertainties in the world situation and risingcompetition among powers, ASEAN, with its geo-strategic position at the centreof the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, is facing newopportunities and challenges.  

The rise of protectionism and trade frictions among powerful countries isaffect💮ing economic and trade development in the world. ꦰBesides, the differencein development levels among ASEAN members, as well as increasing demands fordeeper integration, requires member countries to have suitable economicpolicies. ASEAN is facing the question of how to maximize opportunities, wellhandle challenges and avoid the risk of lagging behind so as to continue withsustainable development.

Ambassador Kamsiah, head of the permanent Malaysian delegation to ASEAN,stressed that one of the major characteristics of ASEAN is consensus, whichmakes it different from other regional organisations.

 ASEAN is considereda model of success of regional cooperation. Forums initiated by ASEAN havegathered many countries and appreciated by world powers.

The formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of 2015 was the culminationof ASEAN cooperation over the past five decades, turning the bloc into a moreclosely knitted organization with important role in the region.

A historic milestone, the establishment of the ASEAN Community bears speciallyimportance to the bloc and the region as well as to each member nation. ASEANhas, and will always be an important factor to peace, stability and cooperationfor development in the region, bringing practical benefits to each membernation, particularly in creating favourable environment and conditions fortheir socio-economic development and international integration.

From a region with divisions and differences, ASEAN has grown to becomea growing united communit🐷y of independ🌄ent countries. With total population ofnearly 650 million, ASEAN is a dynamic economy with GDP reaching 2,950 billionUSD in 2018. The bloc has established its central position in regionalstructures with respect and cooperation with world powers and many partners inthe world./.