Vietnam - a responsible and active member

VietNamNet Bridge – On July 28, 1995 Vietnam officially became a member of ASEAN which marked a crucial turning point in raising Vietnam’s prestige in the region. ASEAN’s admission of Vietnam started a new chapter in the bloc’s history.

Vietnam’s entry to the regional organisation helped to end the confrontation between the two blocs of ASEAN and Indochina formed during the cold war era. This began a new period of friendly and neighbourly cooperation and regional integration, lifting ASEAN’s status in the international arena.

Vietnam’s admission to ASEAN paved the way for Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar to join the organisation to fulfill the 1967 Bangkok Declaration on building ASEAN into a bloc of all Southeast Asian nations.

The ten Southeast Asian nations under the ASEAN banner have opened up a new period in relations between other regional countries where mutually beneficial cooperation and friendship have served as the main foundation for all relations.

Since becoming an ASEAN member, Vietnam has made a significant contribution to creating and adopting common guidelines and policies. Vietnam took the initiative of building the ASEAN socio-cultural community and proposed measures to narrow the gap between member countries, develop Mekong sub-regional countries and step up cooperation in various fields.

Vietnam’s entry to the bloc has greatly contributed to expanding ASEAN’s diplomatic relations and cooperation with other countries. Vietnam has taken the lead in promoting ASEAN’s relations with its partners such as Russia, India and the EU. With its strategic position and dynamic development, the country has also played a major role in balancing the strategies of powerful countries, including the US-China strategy with a view to maintaining peace, stability and promoting cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Asia Pacific region and other parts of the world. As a result, Vietnam’s status in ASEAN has been constantly elevated.

The country has benefited a lot from joining ASEAN and has achieved deeper regional and international economic integration and promoted its relations with other regional and global countries. After joining ASEAN, Vietnam has become a member of several major prestigious international organisations and forums such as the Asia-Europe Meeting, APEC and the WTO. Also by being a member of ASEAN, Vietnam has found it easier to deal with pending issues with its neighbouring countries.

Vietnam has immersed itself in ASEAN and is seen as a responsible and active member. 2010 is considered an important landmark with the country assuming the ASEAN Chair. Vietnam will continue to enhance solidarity and links within ASEAN and raise the bloc’s international status and role on the road to building an ASEAN community by 2015.

VietNamNet/VOV