ASEAN Flag-Raising Ceremony: Vietnam reaffirms commitment to building a strong ASEAN community
WVR - On the morning of July 31, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, No. 1 Ton That Dam, Hanoi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) held the ASEAN Flag-Raising Ceremony to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the 31st anniversary of Vietnam's participation in ASEAN.
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| The ASEAN Flag Raising Ceremony, commemorating the 59th anniversary of ASEAN's founding (8/8/1967-8/8/2026), was solemnly held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
The ceremony was attended by Politburo Member, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committees, the Ministries of Industry and Trade, Home Affairs, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Heads of diplomatic missions, Ambassadors, Charge d'Affaires of ASEAN member countries and partner countries in Hanoi, along with representatives from units under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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| ASEAN Flag-Raising Ceremony: Politburo Member, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung speaking at the ceremony. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Le Hoai Trung expressed his emotion witnessing the ASEAN flag being raised high, symbolizing the spirit of solidarity, identity, and common aspirations of the 11 Southeast Asian nations. Taking place at a very meaningful time, coinciding with the August Revolution anniversary, the Minister affirmed that the Flag Raising Ceremony is an important occasion to reflect on and appreciate the enduring values of independence, autonomy, solidarity, and cooperation throughout Vietnam's journey with ASEAN.
Praising ASEAN's achievements in nearly six decades and the role of the ASEAN Chair Philippines in promoting the implementation of ASEAN cooperation priorities in 2026, Minister Le Hoai Trung stated that ASEAN has entered a new development phase, posing new demands and requirements to successfully realize the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Amidst the rapid and complex global changes, the Minister emphasized that ASEAN must not only adapt to external fluctuations but also strengthen its power, autonomy, and proactively shape the region's future. In this spirit, the Minister outlined three strategic directions for ASEAN: Efficiency, Resilience, and Readiness.
Efficiency must first be measured by the tangible benefits people experience in their daily lives, from more convenient trade, seamless connectivity to better jobs and higher-quality public services. ASEAN needs to shift from focusing on processes to valuing outcomes, from consultation to coordination, from principle-based consensus to unity in action.
Alongside this, resilience remains the foundation for ASEAN to stand firm against geopolitical and geo-economic fluctuations, protect common interests, and maintain its central role in the region. A ready ASEAN, future-oriented, must have the capability to foresee, proactively anticipate changes, promote innovation, develop human resources, and effectively leverage new technologies for development.
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| Delegates taking a group photo. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
Reflecting on the 31-year journey since Vietnam joined ASEAN, the Minister affirmed that ASEAN has always held a particularly important position in Vietnam's foreign policy, being both a strategic priority and a common home closely linked to the country's development path.
Looking towards the development goals for 2030 and 2045, Vietnam's future is closely tied to ASEAN's common future. A united, strong, and developed ASEAN will create more space, motivation, and opportunities for Vietnam. Simultaneously, a rapidly developing, sustainable Vietnam with an increasingly high position will contribute more substantively and meaningfully to ASEAN's common success.
In this spirit, the Minister emphasized that Vietnam will continue to accompany, join hands, and develop with ASEAN, contributing to building a united, resilient, dynamic, and innovative ASEAN Community, centered on the people, as a solid foundation for peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity in the region.
