Vietnam helping to strengthen ASEAN unanimity in COVID-19 fight: Official
Vietnam has been effectively performing its role as ASEAN Chair in terms of enhancing the bloc’s unanimity and cooperating with other members in the COVID-19 response, according to the Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk.
Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk (Photo: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) - Vietnam hasbeen effectively performing its role as ASEAN Chair in terms of enhancing thebloc’s unanimity and cooperating with other members in the COVID-19 response,according to the Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk.
In a recent interview with the Vietnam NewsAgency, Lee, who is also a former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) toVietnam, said that since the beginning of this year Vietnam has been exerting everyeffort to promote a cohesive and responsive ASEAN.
Since the coronavirus first broke out, he wenton, the country emphasised the importance of solidarity in the bloc toconcurrently overcome the health crisis and recover the economy, noting that lastmonth Vietnam chaired the 36th ASEAN Summit, during which regional leadersaffirmed their resolve, political will, and solidarity to weather any and all difficulties.
ASEAN has a great deal of experience in cooperatingto overcome crises, he explained. For example, when the 1997 financial crisis struckthe region, ASEAN and the three northeast Asian countries - the RoK, Japan, andChina - created the ASEAN Plus Three mechanism.
Lee expressed his belief that under Vietnam’sguidance, the bloc will once again emerge victorious from the difficulties of today.The country has the necessary conditions to guide such efforts and minimise thespread of COVID-19, recover economies, and enhance the region’s competitivenessin the post-pandemic period.
He added that its efforts to promotemultilateralism in the region via ASEAN-created platforms will greatly help to bolstermutual trust and regional cooperation.
In discussing RoK-Vietnam relations, theSecretary General said Vietnam is the most important ASEAN partner for his homecountry and bilateral ties have been developing strongly in all regards for manyyears.
Two-way trade reached 70 billion USD last year -nearly 40 percent of the RoK’s total trade with all of ASEAN. Its investment inVietnam stands at 4.5 billion USD, putting it among the largest of foreigninvestors.
Growth in economic links has led to strongerpeople-to-people exchanges, he said, noting that about 4 million RoK people visitedVietnam in 2019 and that there are over 180,000 Koreans living in Vietnam atpresent, with a similar number of Vietnamese living in the RoK./.
As current Chair of ASEAN, Vietnam has shown its competency and leadership in navigating ASEAN at this unprecedented and challenging time, Chief Representative of Indonesia to ASEAN Ade Padmo Sarwono has said.
Vietnam has played a huge role in the ASEAN development over the last 25 years, Grigory Trofimchuk, Chairman of the Russia-based Expert Council of the Eurasian Foundation for Support of Scientific Research, has said.
Becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has brought about great benefits to Vietnam in various fields, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung.
Vietnam is a respectable, trustworthy, and constructive member of ASEAN, Frederick Kliem, an analyst with the Centre for Multilateralism Studies at the Singaporean-based S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, during which he emphasised that the country is now an integral part of the bloc after 25 years of membership.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk (Photo: VNA) 
