(VOVworld) – ASEAN has contributed significantly to maintaining peace, stability, and development in East Asia and the Asia Pacific region in addition to promoting friendship and cooperation among Southeast Asian countries. Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Nguyen Hong Thao made the remarks at a forum held in Kuala Lumpur on Friday to mark ASEAN’s 47^th anniversary.

The Vietnamese diplomat said that after 4 decades of ups and downs, ASEAN has grown into one of the world’s most successful regional organizations. He expressed his belief that Malaysia, one of ASEAN founding members who will chair the bloc next year, will lead the group to a successful ASEAN community in 2015, and set out appropriate orientations for the group’s development in the future. Ambassador Hong emphasized that ASEAN has been our common house over the past 47 years where we’ll share our fortunes in many years to come, adding that the group’s impetus for development lies in each member country’s inner strength that could be enhanced by exploiting existing opportunities.