Vietnam's participation in ASEAN: Small resources, big contributions

Vietnam's contribution to ASEAN is demonstrated by its growing role and position in the region.

In 2017, ASEAN turned 50 years old. Over the past half century, overcoming barriers in political institutions, culture, religion, language, development gap..., ASEAN has achieved impressive achievements, becoming the ASEAN community at the end of 2015.

In the common development of ASEAN, Vietnam is considered one of the most active members, proactively contributing to the common activities of the region.

During 22 years of joining ASEAN, Vietnam has had certain influences on the unified structure of ASEAN as well as maintaining peace and prosperity in the region, successfully building a common community and moving towards the ASEAN Vision further.

In the 1990s of the 20th century, in the context of Vietnam having just made great changes in its open-door policy, joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) became a major policy, of important significance in foreign policy and promoting regional and international integration.

In particular, becoming a member of ASEAN has helped Vietnam break its political isolation as well as the economic embargo policies that lasted for two decades, helping Vietnam take the first steps in the process of global integration.

Currently, Vietnam is also an active member participating in building the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, with the goal of deepening ASEAN integration, operating on the basis of law and taking people as the center.

Looking at the diplomatic steps to prepare for ASEAN integration at that time, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam Nguyen Manh Cam recalled: “Previously, countries in the region were divided into two opposing blocs due to the Cambodia issue. Immediately after the Cambodia issue was resolved, our Council of Ministers Chairman led a government delegation to visit ASEAN countries to restore relations between our country and those countries, and at the same time introduce our new foreign policy. That is the policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and multilateralization, which was welcomed by countries in the region. Since then, countries in the region have raised the issue of being ready to cooperate and promote cooperation with Vietnam.”

As ASEAN marks its 50th anniversary with successes beyond expectations, becoming a common community with 640 million people and an annual GDP of about 2,400 billion USD, Vietnam has become an important link, promoting multifaceted cooperation, from politics, security, economy to society and people in the region.

Immediately after joining ASEAN, Vietnam actively promoted ASEAN to admit Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar despite facing many obstacles. Vietnam became a bridge connecting mainland Southeast Asia with island Southeast Asia, and by 1999, the dream of a big ASEAN family of 10 member countries became a reality. Leaving behind the past of confrontation and suspicion, Vietnam and ASEAN have proven that the future of the region will be better shaped by the path of integration, dialogue and cooperation.

Strategically, Vietnam’s greatest contribution is its active cooperation with member countries in “steering” ASEAN in the right direction. This can be seen in the Association’s important documents such as the 2020 Vision and its implementation plans, the ASEAN Concord II Declaration, the ASEAN Charter, the Roadmap for the ASEAN Community (2009-2015) and the implementation plans for each Community pillar, the Work Plan on the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) on narrowing the development gap, the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC), etc.

Currently, Vietnam is also an active member participating in building the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, with the goal of deepening ASEAN integration, operating on the basis of law and taking people as the center.

Assessing the contributions and role of Vietnam in the development and cooperation of ASEAN, former Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Teck Hean, commented: “Vietnam is one of the very important members of ASEAN, making very positive contributions to the overall development of the Association. Vietnam is a dynamic country with a fast economic growth rate compared to many countries in the region. That development has helped Vietnam improve its position in the regional and international arena. That also helps us understand that the ASEAN Community cannot be formed and developed comprehensively without Vietnam.”

From a latecomer to the ASEAN playground, Vietnam is becoming one of the leading countries contributing to the development of the Association. Only 3 years after joining, Vietnam successfully organized the 6th ASEAN Summit. The Hanoi Action Plan was approved to help ASEAN maintain cooperation and consolidate its position in the difficult times caused by the Financial Crisis of 1997-1998.

In particular, Vietnam has successfully fulfilled its role as ASEAN Chair in 2010 with substantial results, contributing to promoting the “culture of implementation” and concretizing an important step in the goal of forming the ASEAN Community in 2015, enhancing the role and international position of the Association. Not only that, Vietnam also plays an important role in promoting the expansion of ASEAN cooperation frameworks with partners, including the East Asia Summit (EAS) with the participation of Russia and the US, the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+), and lobbying for ASEAN to have representatives to attend the G20 Summit.

Former New Zealand Ambassador Haike Manning, one of ASEAN's major partner members, said that Vietnam is an important member of ASEAN: "Vietnam is a very important member of ASEAN, creating a dynamic and prosperous ASEAN region. ASEAN is attracting the attention of major countries and we value our relationship with ASEAN. New Zealand has just established a strategic partnership, demonstrating our commitment to the prosperity of countries in the region."

Few people can imagine that a Vietnam that was struggling with the thought of “integration” or “dissolution” more than 20 years ago can play a proactive and positive role in ASEAN as it does today. Compared to some countries in the region, Vietnam’s level of development is still modest, but Vietnam has made great contributions to the development of ASEAN. Vietnam’s contribution to ASEAN is reflected in the fact that its role and position in the region are increasingly increasing.

Explaining why Vietnam is increasingly having an important voice in ASEAN forums as well as between ASEAN and its partners, Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia, said: “It is clear that Vietnam's position has increased significantly in recent times. We have increased our internal strength in all aspects. Vietnam's influence in the region has also increased. Countries also see Vietnam's development potential in the future. In addition to self-reliance, countries also see Vietnam in the ASEAN as a whole. In recent times, we have closely connected with ASEAN, built consensus and solidarity in ASEAN, and promoted the strength of ASEAN, which has multiplied our role.”

Vietnam has accompanied ASEAN for the past half century and will continue on the new development path of this bloc. The formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of 2015 has opened up new, larger and stronger cooperation opportunities for ASEAN. However, at present, the geopolitical shift in the Asia-Pacific region and the tensions surrounding the disputes in the East Sea are posing many challenges for ASEAN.

Joining ASEAN also means that Vietnam will share the common challenges of the Association in the future. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said: The world and regional situation is changing rapidly and complicatedly, competition between major countries, conflicts and disputes still exist, potentially leading to conflicts and wars. Terrorism, the East Sea issue. Besides, there are non-traditional challenges such as climate change, food security, water resources, migration issues, etc.

Regarding economic development, the challenge for Vietnam is how to make the economy grow sustainably and effectively, with the major contents being innovation, effective public investment, more efficient state-owned enterprise sector, and innovation in the banking and financial system. But in general, it is innovation in the growth model, infrastructure development and human resource development.

Vietnam is entering a new stage of development with ASEAN, building a vision, creating a comprehensive regional playground from now until 2025. Comprehensive integration with ASEAN is also a way for Vietnam to participate in global integration more strongly.

From “a small river to a big sea”, the waves will certainly be big, but with more than 20 years of experience participating in ASEAN, Vietnam will gain valuable lessons to seize new opportunities and strongly cope with future challenges./.

According to VOV