Hanoi (VNA) – Over the past 50 years, the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has clinched an important position that fewsub-regions can, one of the greatest successes of the association, Deputy PrimeMinister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has told the media.

Along with mechanisms fostering intra-bloc solidarity, the associationhas run mechanisms for major world powers to engage in the region, including inpolitics, security and defence, he said, stressing that this is unique to ASEANand shows the value of the association in the region and the world.

Through 50 years of formation and development, ASEAN has gained manyachievements. It has united regional nations with differences in culture andpolitical administration, creating an environment of peace, stability and friendshipin the ASEAN Community, said Minh.

He highlighted that from a group with poor and backward countries, ASEANhas become the most dynamic economic community in Asia-Pacific, creating a 630million-strong market with total GDP of 3 trillion USD and 4.7 percent growthper year, the highest pace in the world.

ASEAN has been attractive to economic partners thanks to free tradeagreements, expanding its market to 3 billion people with total GDP of 20 trillionUSD, he noted, saying this is an economic relationship that no other sub-regioncan boast.

However, he also pointed out that ASEAN has faced numerous challenges,including unequal growth among member countries, differences in their interestsand competition from major powers, along with security challenges.

In the future, the association aims to continue building a communitywith close ties in politics, economic connectivity and shared socialresponsibility, which means putting people at the centre of policies and laws,he said, adding that this is also stated in the ASEAN Vision 2025.

At the same time, building intra-bloc solidarity is also vital for theASEAN Community, as this is a matter of shared interest of member countries andkey to maintaining the central role of the association, he stressed.

Regarding Vietnam’s contributions to ASEAN in its 22 years in theassociation, Minh said that Vietnam has been a positive and responsible member.

Vietnam has worked to expand the association from five members to thecurrent 10 members.

Along with other member countries, Vietnam helped form the ASEANCommunity in late 2015. The country has set and reached important goals toestablish the community.

So far, Vietnam is one of the leading countries in realising ASEANCommunity goals, with 95 percent of them underway.

In the role of coordinator of cooperation mechanisms of externalpartners such as China and India, Vietnam has strengthened connections betweenASEAN and these partners.

Additionally, Vietnam helped increase the membership of the East AsiaSummit by adding Russia and the US when Vietnam acted as chair of theassociation in 2010, said Minh, adding that Vietnam also proposed the expansionof the ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting Plus.

Minh said that Vietnam, through two periods chairing the association,has also contributed initiatives, including the building of the Code of Conductin the East Sea for maintaining peace and stability in the region.

In the future, Vietnam will continue working hard to build solidarityamong ASEAN countries,  while fulfillingASEAN Community goals, including strengthening the understanding of people andenterprises on benefits brought about by the community, he stated.-VNA