Ambassador Kamsiah Kamaruddin, head of the Malaysian permanent mission to ASEAN (Photo: VNA) Jakarta (VNA) - Vietnam’s entry into ASEAN on July 28, 1995, brought ‘newdynamism’ to the bloc, Ambassador Kamsiah Kamaruddin, head of the Malaysianpermanent mission to ASEAN, said in a recent interview with Vietnam News Agencycorrespondents in Jakarta.
It is now one of the most dynamic economies in ASEAN, she added, and has madesignificant contributions to the bloc’s economic growth.
ASEAN has seen a lot of benefits from admitting Vietnam as a member, who wassoon followed by Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. The admission of the four newmembers made ASEAN an integrated, unifiedentity in the region, she said.
Regarding the difficulties and challenges ASEAN is currently facing, the ambassadorsaid members are maintaining efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam has done its best in the role of ASEAN Chair 2020, she said, speakinghighly of its efforts to promote ASEAN agenda programmes in this difficulttime.
It has proven its strong leadership role via promoting cooperation betweenmember states in responding to COVID-19 and ensuring economic recovery, sheadded.
ASEAN has conducted a number of online discussions, not only within the bloc butalso with partners such as Japan, China, the Republic of Korea (RoK), the US,Australia, and Russia on how ASEAN can help the world recover from COVID-19,she said.
Vietnam has demonstrated its leading role in discussions with China, the RoK, andJapan about promising cooperation, including in the search for a vaccine.
As ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnam is still giving priority to promoting issues relatingto women, children, and sustainable development, especially marine environmentalsustainability, despite the fact that COVID-19 is raging through the region andthe world, the ambassador said.
Vietnam is sparing no effort to promote the ASEAN agenda and connectivity, sheadded.
Founded in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)groups together ten member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos,Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam./.
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