Speaking at the event, PM Phuc said throughout its 25 years of ASEAN membership, Vietnam has always made active and responsible contributions to ASEAN cooperation. 

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the event.

In 2020, Vietnam assumes major responsibilities at the regional and international levels, notably the ASEAN Chairmanship. Such a responsibility gives Vietnam an opportunity to contribute more substantively to the building and growth of a harmonious, resilient, innovative, cohesive, responsible and adaptive ASEAN Community.

As the ASEAN 2020 Chair, Vietnam will build on the achievements and the efforts of previous ASEAN Chairs and work with fellow members in identifying future directions for the ASEAN Community until 2025 and beyond, he said.

Secondly, the ASEAN Community will foster seamless connectivity and deepen integration within and beyond the region, on the basis of innovation, stability and the growing influence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution upon the social and economic life of the entire community. The ASEAN Community will serve as a model of circular economy, endowed with new vigor.

Thirdly, the ASEAN Community will become more resilient through effective climate change adaptation and response, and better management of natural disasters, pollution and plastic waste. It will become a liveable place, with a burgeoning network of smart cities and strong social welfare. It will possess a high-quality workforce in the digital era through quality educational system and strategies for sustainable development and equal opportunity for all, so as to leave no one behind.

Fourthly, its fundamental documents enable the organs of ASEAN Community to maintain sensible, effective and vigorous operation and better serve the ASEAN Community and its people.

To realise these aspirations and foster the future together, he called on each member and every citizen to make every effort to contribute to the common works of ASEAN, from the smallest of acts.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and delegates at a ceremony in Hanoi on January 6 to launch Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship.

Vietnam will make every effort to collaborate with fellow members to successfully accomplish the ASEAN 2020’s priorities, he said.

He wished that as befitting of an “ASEAN citizen”, each Vietnamese citizen, through actions, would spread the messages of a friendly, cordial, and hospitable Vietnam that welcomes all future partners with open arms.

At the ceremony, PM Phuc together with Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and leaders of ministries and agencies pressed the button to launch the ASEAN 2020 website.

Minh also honoured special sponsors for Vietnam’s 2020 ASEAN Chairmanship.

Vietnam wants to sustain ASEAN resilience to global challenges

Vietnam attaches much importance to its role as the ASEAN Chair 2020, and wishes to build a strong ASEAN Community which is resilient to regional and global challenges, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung has said.

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ASEAN Conference for Young Scientists 2019 opens in Hanoi

The ASEAN Conference for Young Scientists (ACYS) 2019 opened in Hanoi on December 2 with the participation of 140 delegates.

ASEAN army chiefs gather in Indonesia

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Vietnam strives for being ASEAN’s leading country in e-government

Vietnam aims to raise its ranking of e-government from 10 to 15 levels by 2020, according to the United Nations assessment

Source: VNA