Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Pham Binh Minh delivered a speech while chairing an ASEAN flaghoisting ceremony marking the 53rd founding anniversary of theassociation in Hanoi on August 7.

The following is the full text of his speech.

"Your Excellencies Ambassadors,
Distinguished guests,

Good morning and a verywarm welcome to all of you to the flag-hoisting ceremony to celebrate the 53rd anniversary of ASEAN’s founding.

Since its inception in 1967, ASEAN has come a long way.

By embracing 10 member nations, ASEAN has turned Southeast Asia from aland of discord to a land of concord, from confrontation to cooperation, and frompoverty to dynamic development. 

Through its Community building, ASEAN enables Southeast Asia to thriveas a big family of six hundred and fifty millions people with a combined GDP ofthree trillions USD and as a peaceful, stable and resilient region with dynamic,vibrant economies.

Today, we are facing major, unprecedented challenges brought about by theCovid-19 pandemic and the fast changing geo-strategic landscape as well as emergingnon-traditional security issues.

But these are causes to be discouraged. Instead, these call for a more cohesive,responsive ASEAN, which retains its firm centrality in the region.

The encouraging results achieved in the first half of 2020 beartestament to the ASEAN that never wavers at any hardship.

Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,

Chairing ASEAN this year is a great honour forVietnam as 2020 coincides with the 25th anniversary of Vietnam’saccession to ASEAN.

Under Vietnam’s Chairmanship, ASEAN has taken well-coordinated measuresto collectively respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, protect the health of ourpeoples, cushion the negative impacts on our economies, and prepare for acomprehensive recovery to emerge from the pandemic.

Although the tough battles to defeat the pandemic and to revamp theeconomies are still ahead, I would like to emphasize that ASEAN’s future isbright.

With the “Think Community, Act Community” approach, Vietnam willcontinue to work closely with our ASEAN sisters and brothers as well as withexternal partners and the international community to build a united andresilient ASEAN Community.

Shoulder to shoulder, we can rise above any challenges and move ASEANforward.

By way of conclusion, I am pleased to share that ASEAN ForeignMinisters will issue the Statement on the importance of maintaining peace and stabilityin Southeast Asia tomorrow, on the ASEAN Day of August 8, 2020.

In the context of complex and growing uncertainties in the world, thisstatement will reaffirm ASEAN’s vision, commitments and fundamental principles tobuild ASEAN into a region of peace, progress and prosperity as aspired in the1967 Bangkok Declaration.

Thank you./."