Photo: VNGOP

The event also attracted many ambassadors, charge d'affairs, chief representatives of ASEAN members and the Association's dialogue partners. This is one of the most important activities during the ASEAN Week in Việt Nam.

In his opening speech , PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng confirmed that, over the past four decades, ASEAN has become a successful and dynamic regional organization which has close cooperation and partnerships with many powers and leading organizations in the world. Nowadays, in the new context, ASEAN has reached a high consensus to uplift its cooperation and linkages through forming the ASEAN Community by 2015 based on all three pillars – security, economy and culture – with an aim of building ASEAN into "a concert of Southeast Asian nations bonded together in a community of caring societies”.

Mentioning the relationship between Việt Nam and ASEAN, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng emphasized that, by joining ASEAN, Việt Nam has continued to consolidate a peaceful and stable external environment, expand its multifaceted cooperation with regional countries, raise its position and create preconditions for deeper integration into the regional and world economy.

"Promotion of friendship and cooperation within ASEAN continues to be a priority in our foreign policy of multilateralization and diversification," the PM said, adding that the Vietnamese Government and people will strive best to build a more cohesive and stronger ASEAN, making the friendship between and among ASEAN members, both bilaterally and multilaterally, closer and more effective.

By Xuân Hồng