Vietnam makes practical contributions to ASEAN

Since joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995, Vietnam has been actively making practical contributions to strengthening solidarity and sustainable development of the group.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement in an interview granted to Thailand’s Bangkok Post newspaper on the sidelines of the 14th ASEAN Summit held in Hua Hin from Feb. 28-March 1.

PM Dung highlighted Vietnam’s changes over the past years, saying the country has been actively carrying out its renewal process and has gained important results in various fields, achieving an annual economic growth rate of 7.5-8 percent. It has built up its relations with more than 180 countries and partners across the world and actively participated in activities of international organisations, including the United Nations, the World Trade Oganisation, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

“All of these mirror Vietnam as a country of dynamic development, a trusted friend and partner of all countries for peace, stability and development,” the PM said.

He said as the current global financial crisis is quite different from the Asian one in 1997, both in terms of its nature and degree of impact, the response to it and the recovery from its impact requires stronger efforts from each nation as well as better cooperation among nations, regionally and internationally.

To this end, he said that ASEAN countries should take measures to restore domestic market confidence and investors’ trust, enhance information and experience-sharing to deal with the crisis and boost their economic, trade and investment cooperation.

He said he believes that the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) and other bilateral free trade agreements between ASEAN and other countries will help accelerate two-way trade, generate more attractive and favourable conditions for foreign and intra-bloc investment in the region, and maintain economic growth.

The Vietnamese government leader hailed the adoption of the ASEAN Charter as a major event for the region, laying a firm legal foundation to enhance regional harmony and effectiveness for the benefit of ASEAN and its people.

Regarding the establishment of the ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB), Mr Dung asserted that the agency should promote and protect human rights, and “attend to the distinct characteristics and diversity of the region in terms of culture, economics, society, customs and traditions.”

The AHRB should be encouraged to promote cooperation and work out a common regional strategy and approach on human rights in order to establish a foundation for increasing cooperation to exercise human rights in the best way possible, said Mr Dung.

The PM spoke highly of the traditional friendship between Vietnam and Thailand and noted that over the past years these two close neighbours have seen remarkable progress in all areas of cooperation.

He affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to its cooperation with Thailand and other major rice exporters within bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

According to him, the two countries are actively participating in a cooperation framework of the five major rice exporters, comprising India, China, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam. Under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), member countries are discussing an ACMECS rice cooperation mechanism to increase the exchange of information and technical assistance, PM Dung said.

He said that Vietnam and Thailand are currently studying suitable ways and means to secure food security of each country while protecting the interests of rice producers, traders and consumers.

PM Dung suggested that in future the two countries further their comprehensive cooperation, particularly in economics, trade, investment, national defence and security in order to overcome the negative effects of the on-going economic crisis as well as the challenges of globalisation, thus contributing to the sustainable development of each country.

In conclusion, he called on all ASEAN member countries to make a greater effort to realise the goal of building the ASEAN community by 2015 for peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia and the world at large.

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