By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, March 10 (Bernama) -- ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn has praised Vietnam’s 30 years of contributions to the regional bloc, calling the milestone a testament to the country’s commitment to ASEAN’s vision of unity and prosperity.
Speaking at the ASEAN headquarters to mark the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s membership in the bloc, he highlighted the country’s transformative role since joining in 1995, describing it as a key step towards achieving a unified Southeast Asia.
“Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN paved the way for the admission of Laos and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia in 1999, thus achieving the ASEAN-10 vision,” he said in his opening speech.
The event also saw the first-ever visit by Vietnam’s Communist Party General-Secretary To Lam to the ASEAN Secretariat, a visit Kao hailed as a symbol of Vietnam’s commitment to regional cooperation.
“Under his leadership, Vietnam is undergoing administrative reforms to enhance the efficiency of the state apparatus and upgrade the economy, while expanding its global engagement and deepening cooperation within ASEAN and beyond,” he said.
He also underscored Vietnam’s pivotal role in bridging the development gap within ASEAN, citing the 2001 Hanoi Declaration on narrowing disparities, and Vietnam’s leadership during its ASEAN chairmanships in 1998, 2010 and 2020.
“As ASEAN progresses towards adopting the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 this year, Vietnam’s leadership and active participation continue to be instrumental in shaping our collective future,” Kao added.
-- BERNAMA
