With the theme “ASEAN- One community, One destiny”, the summit will focus on ways to boost cooperation and increase links within ASEAN, strengthen ASEAN’s cooperation with its partners, enhance ASEAN’s central role in formulating a regional architecture and discuss regional and international issues.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung arrives in Phnompenh for the 20th ASEAN Summit

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s participation at the summit shows that Vietnam is an active, dynamic and responsible member of ASEAN who is significantly contributing to common issues in the interest of the regional grouping.  Vietnam always considers strengthening ASEAN cooperation an important factor in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification of relations, and active integration into the region and the world. In the current context, strengthening cooperation within ASEAN is of great importance for Vietnam as the country integrates into the world. The Communist Party of Vietnam in its documents at the 11^th Congress said Vietnam aims to strengthen friendship and cooperation with neighboring countries and be active and responsible in building a strong ASEAN community. Vietnam is also determined to speed up the building of an ASEAN community in the next three years. "ASEAN’s connectivity will be enhanced in economics, politics, culture, lifestyles and behavior within the ASEAN family. Vietnam aims to increase mutual understanding with other ASEAN members to create a consensus in building an ASEAN Community. This will help raise ASEAN’s prestige in the region and the world", said Le Cong Phung, President of the Vietnam ASEAN Friendship Association. .

Vietnam also supports the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, especially key projects on infrastructure, agreements on trade facilitation and liberalisation, and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan 2. Narrowing development gaps between ASEAN member countries is also an issue of concern to Vietnam and the bloc. "Economics is the top priority in ASEAN cooperation. It’s important for the bloc to implement and help one another implement signed agreements. Less developed countries should strive to keep pace with other regional countries, especially in terms of economic development. Vietnam has effectively responded to a number of ASEAN cooperation programs. The Vietnam ASEAN Friendship Association will continue serving as a bridge linking enterprises within the region", said Mr. Phung.

The 20^th ASEAN Summit is scheduled to approve the Phnompenh Declaration “ASEAN- One community, One destiny”, a Joint Declaration on a Drug-free ASEAN by 2015, an ASEAN Chair’s Declaration on the celebration of ASEAN’s 45^th founding anniversary and a statement of the results of the 20^th ASEAN summit.

Anh Huyen