In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the summit, the expert showed impression at the Melbourne Declaration, which includes Australia’s commitments to supporting the ASEAN’s centrality, ASEAN’s Indo-Pacific Vision, the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, in which Vietnam forms a part.
According to Thayer, Vietnam has shown a special interest to these issues which are important to the country on the path of achieving its development goals until 2045 of becoming a high-income developed country.
The important thing is that following the summit, leaders of ASEAN and Australia shared their desire to continue promoting a rules-based regional architecture, upholding international law, maintaining ASEA’s central role, and keeping respectful, stable, and peaceful relationships among countries.
They also committed to promoting strategic trust and cooperation, strengthening dialogue and open dialogue within ASEAN-led mechanisms to enhance mutual understanding, minimising the risk of miscalculation, preventing conflicts, and cooperating to address maritime pollution and sustainable development in the lower Mekong River, he said.
Vietnam, with special attention to multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, has become an active and positive member of the international community, he said, describing the country as a “crew member on the ASEAN ship” that always wants to keep it on track and affirms to other crew members that all share a common future. By 2040, the grouping can become the second or fourth largest economy in the world if it maintains its growth rate, he said.
Thayer highlighted Vietnam’s diplomatic achievements, stressing it has been elected twice as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, showing other countries’ confidence in Vietnam as a sincere mediator, and their wish to cooperate with Vietnam. It always has positive and constructive comments on how to promote the agenda and help ASEAN gradually achieve progress in sensitive areas, he stated.
According to the expert, supporting the building of a strong and united ASEAN is important to Australia. By signing a trade agreement with ASEAN, Australia can work with all the 10 member countries to the same standards. And Vietnam plays an important role in this issue by sharing its experiences with other ASEAN countries and keeping ASEAN autonomous, Thayer held./.
