A time to reflect on the past and look to the future

Vietnam celebrates its national day today, a day that commemorates not only the end of World War II, but the day on which former President Ho Chi Minh read the Declarations of Independence of Vietnam.

Aside from the fanfare, the day offers an opportunity to reflect on the country’s history, and the progress Vietnam has made.

The newly-appointed ambassador of Vietnam to South Africa, Hoang Van Loi said 2020 marked a number of important anniversaries for Vietnam, including 75 years of independence and 25 years in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

As the current ASEAN chair, Vietnam has had a key role in the regional response to Covid-19, as Southeast Asian nations worked together to contain the spread of the pandemic, provide regional assistance and ongoing support to minimise its socio-economic impact.

Van Loi, who arrived in Pretoria shortly before the country went into lockdown, believes ASEAN will emerge stronger from the pandemic as individual interests had been put aside for the common good.

However, as the pandemic raged across the world, tensions were building between China and the US in the South China Sea, an important natural and commercial resource globally. Relations between China and countries in the region were complex, he said, but as a neighbour Vietnam desired a peaceful resolution to territorial disputes.

He sees ASEAN, a driver of cooperation and dialogue in the regions, as the primary organisation to drive efforts to stabilise the situation on the basis of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Hopefully, after the pandemic had passed, the world including ASEAN members would be able to work towards a solution, Van Loi said.

Being part of ASEAN since 1995 has helped Vietnam integrate into the wider world, and the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) and various other free trade agreements contributed to the prosperity of the region and as a partner in external relationships.

The ambassador quoted Edward Teather, ASEAN economist at UBS Research, who described the outlook as "looking one of the brightest in the region."

Apart from being a member of WTO, CPTPP and the ASEAN FTA, Vietnam’s National Assembly ratified the Europe-Vietnam FTA and the Europe-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in June, creating opportunities for the country to futher intergrate in the global economy and providing a way for post-pandemic growth.

Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, addressing the UN General Assembly last year, had stressed the special place of multilateral cooperation in Vietnam’s foreign policy, he said.

Speaking during the 36th ASEAN Summit in June, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc outlined challenges that lie ahead for the region in the wake of the Covid-19, and called for solidarity and a commitment to rise above adversity to strengthen connectivity and sustain economic stability.

For achievements in development and international integration of Vietnam, international organisations have shown appreciation of Vietnam’s prospects for the future, the ambassador said.

On the global stage Vietnam continues to punch above its weight, serving as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with an “open-door” foreign policy that supports the principles of independence and self-reliance, friendship and cooperation; development, peace and prosperity.

Vietnam will this month join the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration, and continues its own commitment to equal rights and human dignity.

South Africa and Vietnam have strong ties which date back to the years of struggle against apartheid and Ambassador Van Loi welcomes South Africa’s’ accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) ratified by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation in June.

This treaty underlines inter-state relations in Southeast Asia and opens up new economic opportunities for South Africa with member countries, including Vietnam, the ambassador said.

Source: IOL