Vietnam takes over ASEAN chair

Vietnam took over the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2020 at a ceremony in Bangkok on Monday [November 4].

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc receives ASEAN President’s hammer from his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha on November 4. Photo: Reuters

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc formally took the baton from his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-cha to assume the chair status beginning on January 1, 2020, the 3rd time after the first in 1998 and the second in 2010.

The chairmanship is handed over to ASEAN members in an alphabetical order.

Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2020 will be remarkable with the implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025 Realization Plan and the 25th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN.

“In 2020, we want to focus on strengthening ASEAN’s sustainable cohesion by upholding solidarity and unity, increasing economic links and connectivity, deepening values and features of ASEAN members, improving the efficiency of the ASEAN apparatus, and promoting ASEAN’s partnerships in the global community," PM Phuc said at the ceremony, VNExpress reported.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said when handing over the ASEAN Chairmanship 2020 to PM Phuc: “I believe that Vietnam will take on the role of ASEAN Chairman from Thailand with pride and realize ASEAN’s dream of promoting partnership and maintaining peace, freedom, security and prosperity in ASEAN now and in the future.”

The ASEAN Chairmanship 2020 will be highlighted with the theme “Cohesive and Responsive”. It means that a cohesive and growing community needs to adapt to external impacts. The cohesion will be achieved if ASEAN is united.

A member state assuming the chairmanship will chair the ASEAN Summit and related summits, the ASEAN Coordinating Council, the three ASEAN Community Councils, relevant ASEAN Sectoral Ministerial Bodies and senior officials, and the Committee of Permanent Representatives.