Hanoi (VNA)🌠 – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an inter-ministerial meeting in Hanoi on December 18 to review ASEAN cooperation, Vietnam's strides in 2024, and chart a course for 2025.

Chairing the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet reviewed ASEAN cooperation over the past year, stressing that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has continued upholding its power of solidarity and centrality, enhancing resilience and strategic autonomy, addressing global and regional issues in a flexible and balanced manner, and effectively responding to non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, pandemics and transnational crimes. ASEAN has maintained a positive growth trajectory, with projected expansions of 4.5% in 2024 and 4.7% in 2025. The bloc has fostered greater economic integration and connectivity through agreements on trade in services, goods, and intra-and extra-regional investment. Additionally, ASEAN has swiftly embraced emerging growth drivers by actively shaping and deploying frameworks for digital economy, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience, and sustainable agriculture. The identity of a people-centred ASEAN Community has been further enriched through concrete initiatives. Empowering women and children, enhancing care economy, advancing plastic circularity, and developing a regional emergency public health coordination system are just a few of the bloc's notable accomplishments. The framework of relations between ASEAN and its partners has been comprehensively deployed, with several partners establishing or upgrading their relations with ASEAN, creating new opportunities for cooperation across various sectors. As an active, proactive and responsible member, Vietnam has continued to make practical and meaningful contributions to ASEAN cooperation, working closely with and supporting Laos in successfully undertaking its role as ASEAN Chair 2024. Vietnam has continued to affirm its pivotal role in maintaining ASEAN's solidarity and unity, strengthening the bloc's principled stance, and actively joining defence, security and judicial cooperation activities. Taking on key responsibilities in ASEAN's economic pillar mechanisms, such as coordinating ASEAN-EU economic relations, chairing ASEAN Customs, and co-chairing the ASEAN Sustainable Finance Task Force, Vietnam has demonstrated proactive leadership in advancing the implementation of economic commitments and agreements. In 2024, Vietnam hosted numerous conferences within the socio-cultural pillar, effectively integrating and realising ASEAN Community priorities at the national level. Delegates agreed that Vietnam will further make effective contributions to the ASEAN Community building process. This includes aligning Vietnam's national priorities with those of ASEAN and the broader region, setting the stage for a successful ASEAN Future Forum 2025 scheduled for February 2025. Vietnamese ministries and agencies will actively partner with ASEAN countries to complete the ASEAN 2025 Master Plans as scheduled, build the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and strategies, deepen relations with ASEAN's partners, including effectively coordinating the ASEAN-UK and ASEAN-New Zealand relations. The meeting underlined the need to soon complete the inter-agency and inter-pillar coordination mechanisms between ASEAN cooperation agencies, enhance the capacity of officials involved in ASEAN cooperation, and leverage resources from ASEAN cooperation mechanisms and partners. Delegates also called for further improvement in the quality and effectiveness of participation and coordination with streamlined procedures, in line with the overarching goal of building an elite, strong and efficient political system. The year 2025 marks a historic milestone for Vietnam - the 30th anniversary of its ASEAN membership. To celebrate this event, practical activities and public awareness campaigns are planned to raise awareness and bring ASEAN closer to citizens, businesses and localities. These efforts will underscore the strategic importance and benefits of ASEAN membership, fostering a deeper appreciation for the bloc's role in Vietnam's regional integration./.