Vietnam contributes to ASEAN’s productive year
(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam’s artful chairmanship in 2020 ensured that ASEAN has, for now, retained its ability to effectively channel regional cooperation, according to Dr. Le Thu Huong, Senior Analyst of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
 Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnesses the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a highlight of Vietnam's ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020. (Photo: VNA) |
In an article published recently on Asialink website, Dr. Huong said that, faced with growing strategic rivalry in the Indo-Pacific and unprecedented health and economic crises this year, ASEAN still enjoyed a productive year.
She underscored Vietnam’s economic and trade contributions, COVID-19 recovery plans, and innovation for a post-pandemic world. Vietnam addressed issues that threatened ASEAN unity by focusing on collective initiatives for a post-COVID recovery, in line with its chairmanship theme of a ‘Cohesive and Responsive’ ASEAN Community. Vietnam’s chairmanship was instrumental in steering ASEAN back to the zone of cooperation by its ASEAN-centered activity. Vietnam’s chairmanship allowed ASEAN to surmount some of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and set the region on a path to recovery.