At the flag raising ceremony to mark ASEAN’s 50th anniversary (Credit: tienphong.vn)
The event
was attended by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of
Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep, and Vice Chairman of
Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Van Suu, among others.
Foreign
guests at the ceremony included head of the diplomatic corps in Hanoi and
Ambassador of Venezuela Jorge Rondon Uzcategui, and Ambassadors and embassy
representatives of ASEAN member countries and ASEAN partner countries in the
capital city.
Addressing
the ceremony, Deputy FM Bui Thanh Son emphasised that the founding of the ASEAN
Community in 2015 is a historic milestone in the connectivity process of ASEAN.
It also bears special significance to the association, the region and each
member nation.
The deputy
minister noted that with a population of 630 million, GDP of almost US$3,000
billion and a growth rate of 4.7% in 2016, ASEAN is the driving force of the
regional economy.
He went on
to say that as a prestigious organisation in Asia-Pacific, ASEAN operates based
on the ASEAN Charter and uniform values and principles. The ASEAN way is built
on the foundation of the Eastern culture, attaching importance to solidarity
and common prosperity, tolerance and harmonious interests, which helped ASEAN
achieve success over the past five decades.
Deputy
Minister Son highlighted that ASEAN cooperation is one of the top priorities in
Vietnam’s foreign diplomacy, and the country is proud about its active,
proactive participation and considerable contributions to the cooperation
process and building of the ASEAN Community. During the process, Vietnam has
been involved in the drafting of major orientations for the bloc’s development.
The country has also put forth many initiatives on maintaining a security and
stable environment for cooperation in the region.
The deputy
minister expressed his belief in an ASEAN bloc building on past achievements
and growing strongly in the future.
He said in
a changeable world situation, ASEAN’s achievements of cooperation in general
and of economic-trade development in particular prove that the bloc has made
the right choice in its guidelines and policies.
The flag
raising ceremony on the annual anniversary of ASEAN has become a tradition for
all ASEAN member countries, reflecting the respect for the bloc’s common value
and commitment to regional people.
Source: NDO
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