The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on August 5 granted the UK the formal status of Dialogue Partner at a ceremony held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei, which is the current Chair of ASEAN.
Hanoi (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on August 5 granted the UK the formal status of Dialogue Partner at a ceremony held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei, which is the current Chair of ASEAN.
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son attended the event, which was the result of the consultation process inside ASEAN and between ASEAN and the UK since 2020, demonstrating the bloc’s positive and open external relations.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Brunei Minister of Foreign Affairs appreciated the UK’s commitments and potential for cooperation across all aspects of politics-security, economy, and society-culture.
ASEAN expects that with its new status, the UK will use its role and strength to promote substantial development of the ASEAN-UK ties in contribution to peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region, the diplomat stated.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab affirmed ASEAN and the Southeast Asia have an important position in the UK’s global external relations policy. The UK highly evaluates ASEAN’s centrality in the regional structure, he added.
He listed cooperation priorities between the two sides in the time to come, including economic collaboration, green growth promotion and sustainable infrastructure.
The UK is willing to step up joint work with the bloc in responding to and controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, to supply vaccines for ASEAN, and to help the bloc boost its capacity for preventive medicine, the official said.
Highlightingmarine cooperation between the sides, he stated the UK will join ASEAN inenhancing maritime law enforcement capacity to contribute to upholdingthe value and role of international law, especially the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)./.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Tran Ngoc An has affirmed that Vietnam, as Chair of ASEAN in 2020, supports stronger collaboration between ASEAN And the UK across trade and investment, as well as cooperation for peace, security and development.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the UK held an online economic dialogue on August 26 as part of the 52nd meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM-52), under the coordination of Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and British Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss.
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Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
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Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
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Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
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At the event (Photo: laodong.vn) 
