Sydney (VNA)𓆏 – Veeramalla Anjaiah, a Jakarta-based senior journalist and authorof the book “Azerbaijan Seen from Indonesia”, has had an op-ed published on eurasiareview.comon May 8, highlighting Vietnam’s role in ASEAN’s unity, peace, stability.

In the article, he wrote since its initiation into ASEAN in 1995,Vietnam has gradually become an active, self-motivated, and responsible member,as seen from its practical contributions toward the group’s unity, maturity, andgrowth. Some of them include the adoption of the 2007 ASEAN Charter, the HanoiDeclaration on ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, and MasterPlans implementing the three pillars of politics-security, economics, andculture-society. It has also helped ASEAN partner with non-regional players,including China, Russia, India, and the European Union (EU). Vietnam's membership in ASEAN has crucial social, political, economic,and security implications, the article said. Vietnam integrated its security with the rest of SoutheastAsia and created a favourable environment for economic development, which hasimproved national industrialisation and modernisation in the context ofregional integration. This raised Vietnam’s global image, leading to greaterbargaining clout with superpowers like the United States and China. Economically speaking, thanks to its prudenteconomic policies and 17 free trade agreements (FTAs), Vietnam has become thefastest growing economy in 2022. Its gross domestic product grew 8.02% in 2022, just behind Malaysia whose GDP grew 8.7%. Its totaltrade reached 730 billion USD in 2022.  Foreign investors are pouring money into Vietnam to takeadvantage of its membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and other FTAs. 

Journalist VeeramallaAnjaiah noted that for thelast 28 years, Vietnam has also been working hard to secure peace andreconciliation among ASEAN nations. Vietnamassists with handling the differences that arise between member nations andpromotes a common stance and voice in regional affairs. The country has alsohelped to expand relations and promote cooperation between ASEAN and itspartners, enhancing ASEAN’s international role, especially its central anddecisive role in regional forums, such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEANRegional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN Defense Minister’s Meeting (ADMM ). 

ꦕ Regarding issues relating to East Sea - a vital maritime routelinking the Indian and Pacific Oceans, Vietnam and other ASEAN members haveupheld the principle of dispute settlement by peaceful means, stick to theinternational maritime regulations mentioned in the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve disputes. Vietnam has beenstriving to put the East Sea on ASEAN’s agenda and ensure disputes are dealtwith in a constructive way. It has shown consistent support for the DOC,ASEAN’s Six-Point Principles on the East Sea, and the soon-to-be-concluded Codeof Conduct of Parties in the sea (COC).

The writer emphasised that Vietnam is a peace-loving countrythat wants to resolve all its East Sea disputes by working with ASEAN and theUnited Nations to maintain peace and stability in the region. It is also a strong supporter of Indonesia as the ASEAN Chairmanfor 2023 and ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to conclude the COC with China./.