(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam always attaches great importance to ties with other Southeast Asian countries, said President Vo Van Thuong at a reception in Hanoi on Monday for ASEAN ambassadors who came to congratulate him on being elected as the Vietnamese State leader.
 President Vo Van Thuong (7th from left) hosts ASEAN ambassadors in Hanoi on April 17, 2023. (Photo: VNA) |
Unity, flexibility, harmony and inclusiveness are the "golden keys" to opening the door to a new regional space with ASEAN at the centre, toward realizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and beyond, said President Thuong.
Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations have been working closely in all important fields such as national defense-security, economy, trade, investment, education-training, and people-to-people exchange, he noted.
Cooperation has been expanding to new areas in the Industry 4.0 era, including innovation, digital transformation, digital connectivity, circular economy, green economy, clean energy, among others, according to the Vietnamese President.
On behalf of the ASEAN diplomats, Indonesian Ambassador Denny Abdi said that over the past 28 years, Vietnam has played an important role in strengthening the solidarity and central role of ASEAN, as well as in building the ASEAN Community Vision beyond 2025.
Vietnam's GDP growth of 8.02% last year will generate momentum for regional economic development, he said.