Vietnam joins ASEAN: The mark of three decades of parallel development

The journey of joining ASEAN over the past 30 years has provided valuable knowledge and experience for Vietnam to be creative in ideas and breakthrough in actions, moving forward with ASEAN into the new era.

Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam (second from the right), ASEAN Secretary-General, and other ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the meeting to admit Vietnam into ASEAN in Brunei, July 28, 1995. (Source: VNA)

Direct involvement is paramount.

On July 28, 1995, Vietnam officially became the seventh member of ASEAN at the 28th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Brunei. The past 30 years have confirmed that Vietnam's decision to join ASEAN was a correct, timely, historically significant, and strategically important one for the Vietnamese Party and State.

Joining ASEAN helped Vietnam break free from the economic blockade and political isolation it faced at the time; resolve many existing issues in its relations with several countries in the region; end divisions and confrontations; and build a qualitatively new relationship among Southeast Asian countries.

In his policy speech at the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN during his visit to the ASEAN Secretariat (March 10), General Secretary To Lam emphasized: "Since the beginning of opening up and integration, we have always considered ASEAN as a multilateral cooperation mechanism that is directly and importantly connected to Vietnam." Since joining ASEAN in 1995, "Vietnam has given top priority to consolidating and strengthening relations with neighboring countries and the region, striving to contribute as much as possible to building a united, strong, and self-reliant ASEAN Community, thereby affirming its international position as a member of the ASEAN family."

This is clearly demonstrated through many practical policies. Immediately after Vietnam joined ASEAN, the Prime Minister issued numerous directives, including the establishment of the National Committee on ASEAN and a Directive on implementing activities to participate in regional cooperation.

When the ASEAN Charter came into effect (December 2008), the Prime Minister continued to issue Decision No. 142/QD-TTg dated January 31, 2009, on the Working Regulations and Coordination between agencies participating in ASEAN cooperation, aiming to improve coordination efficiency and standardize the activities of ministries and agencies in accordance with the Charter.

Following the official formation of the ASEAN Community on December 31, 2015, the Prime Minister approved the Plan on the direction and measures for Vietnam's participation in ASEAN until 2025, clearly defining the objectives, directions, and solutions to enhance the effectiveness of cooperation within the Association.

To build upon the achievements and enhance the effectiveness of Vietnam's participation in ASEAN, and to meet the demands of the new situation, the Politburo issued Conclusion No. 59-KL/TW on August 8, 2023, regarding Vietnam's orientation for participation in ASEAN until 2030, which clearly states: "ASEAN is a multilateral cooperation mechanism that is directly and most importantly relevant to Vietnam."

"Participation in ASEAN aims to contribute to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment; to best seize opportunities and benefits from ASEAN cooperation and its partner network; and to further enhance Vietnam's international prestige, role, and strategic position in relations with partners, especially major powers."

Promoting consensus, maintaining unity.

Throughout three decades of partnership with ASEAN, Vietnam has consistently upheld the spirit of "proactiveness, positiveness, and responsibility," making practical contributions to the growth and development of the Association.

At the heart of these contributions is Vietnam's persistent effort to strengthen internal solidarity and unity – a key factor in creating ASEAN's vitality, position, and adaptability in the face of any changes.

At the Second ASEAN Future Forum in February 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the importance of solidarity, quoting a familiar Vietnamese proverb: "One tree alone cannot make a forest, but three trees together can make a high mountain." According to the Prime Minister, solidarity and unity are fundamental tasks in building an independent, self-reliant ASEAN that is steadily progressing in the process of integration and development.

Vietnam has consistently pursued this policy through both consistent messaging and concrete actions, throughout each stage, mechanism, and initiative. As the ASEAN Chair three times (1998, 2010, and 2020), Vietnam has left a distinct mark, making significant contributions to many key documents and agreements such as the ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, and the overall plans and roadmaps for building the Community.

Vietnam continues to make a significant mark with its humanistic approach of "putting the people at the center, as the goal and driving force" in the process of building the Community. The ASEAN Community Vision 2045, adopted at the 46th ASEAN Summit, officially incorporated the overarching orientation initiated by Vietnam as the core spirit of the Community.

In the face of increasingly complex and unpredictable developments, Vietnam remains steadfast in working with ASEAN countries to build consensus and strengthen ASEAN's principled stance on international and regional issues. From the South China Sea, Myanmar, and the Korean Peninsula to the situation in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Vietnam plays a crucial role in promoting a common voice and harmonious and balanced approach within ASEAN, with the overarching goal of peace, stability, and security for the region and the world.

2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to ASEAN (July 28, 1995 - July 28, 2025). (Photo: Nguyen Hong)

Creating a space for cooperation, with ASEAN at the center.

During the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in May, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that ASEAN's success will depend on its ability to ensure an independent and autonomous strategic space in implementing regional decisions. ASEAN needs to reaffirm its central role not only in name but also through action.

With a sense of responsibility and proactiveness, since joining ASEAN, Vietnam has made many important initiatives and contributions to upholding the fundamental goals and principles of the Association, helping to maintain ASEAN's leading role in peace and development in the region.

Vietnam has also left a significant mark in promoting and expanding relations between ASEAN and its partners. When assuming the ASEAN chairmanship in 2010, Vietnam promoted the expansion of the East Asia Summit (EAS) to include Russia and the United States. At Vietnam's initiative, the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) was formed, with members from ASEAN countries and partners. Vietnam successfully coordinated relations between ASEAN and China (2009-2012), ASEAN and the EU (2012-2015), ASEAN and India (2015-2018), and ASEAN and Japan (2018-2021). In 2021, it hosted the ASEAN Summit on Sub-regional Cooperation for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development. Currently, Vietnam is coordinating ASEAN-New Zealand relations (2024-2027) and ASEAN-UK relations (2022-2025).

Over the past period, with the consistent principle of ensuring balance, harmony, and mutual benefit, Vietnam, together with other ASEAN countries, has successfully promoted the process of establishing and upgrading relations between ASEAN and many important partners, from establishing a Dialogue Partnership with the UK to upgrading relations with Australia, India, China, the United States, Japan, Canada, and South Korea. Recently, at the ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and the ASEAN-GC-China Summit (Malaysia, May 27), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested many groundbreaking ideas to exploit the potential of the new inter-regional strategic cooperation space.

Notably, implementing Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's initiative, over the past two years, Vietnam has successfully organized the ASEAN Future Forum, creating a profound impression of an open, inclusive dialogue space connecting policymakers, scholars, experts, and researchers inside and outside the region. This demonstrates Vietnam's sincere efforts in building a forum truly dedicated to and led by ASEAN.

Moving forward together in a new era.

In a recent interview with TG&VN, Kavi Chongkittavorn, a leading ASEAN expert from Thailand, commented that as Vietnam enters its fourth decade in ASEAN, its outstanding efforts show no signs of slowing down, "you are nurturing a clear aspiration to jointly shape the regional agenda."

As General Secretary To Lam emphasized in his speech at the ASEAN Secretariat: “Standing at a new historical starting point, Vietnam and ASEAN are together aiming for aspirational goals. In the next stage of development with new expectations placed on ASEAN, Vietnam is more aware of its responsibility to participate proactively and contribute more to the common work, with the motto of creativity in thinking, innovation in approach, flexibility in implementation, efficiency in methods and decisiveness in action.”

Resolution 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025, of the Politburo on "international integration in the new situation" has positioned international integration as a crucial driving force for the country to enter a new era, an era of striving for prosperity and strength. Therefore, participation in ASEAN also faces new demands, requiring greater proactiveness, responsibility, and creativity, and a readiness to contribute more to building a united and strong ASEAN Community.

With determination and experience gained over the past three decades, Vietnam continues to join hands with ASEAN countries to realize ASEAN's historical mission and spread the Association's success stories.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/viet-nam-gia-nhap-asean-dau-an-ba-thap-ky-song-hanh-322143.html