ASEAN-EU partnerships across two different continents pursue similar goals: promoting peace, regional prosperity, and international security and development.
The conference was held on October 18 at Duy Tan University and forty delegates attended from Vietnam and abroad. This important event celebrated the 45 years of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations.
Enhancing ASEAN-EU relations in many new ways
Based on strong foundations, ASEAN-EU relations have made steady progress in all aspects. At the 23rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting on December 1, 2020, after 43 years of cooperation, the partners resolved to upgrade their relationship to a Strategic Partnership. An important premise was to promote a joint awareness of multilateralism, sustainable development, a rules-based international order and free and fair trade.
Ms. Caroline de Boisset, Political Attaché to the delegation of the EU to Vietnam, speaks
Experts gave in-depth report on ASEAN-EU relations, based on the many joint achievements in the areas of the economy, security and defense, culture and education and so on.
The partnership has common values, needs and interests. ASEAN is a growing, dynamic economic region, and the EU is the world’s leading trade and investment partner. However, EU has much greater economic power than ASEAN, where human rights are the biggest challenge. Several ASEAN countries are still weak in infrastructure, transportation, telecommunications, with policies that still inhibit development.
“I would like to thank all the academics who have come here to share their views,” said Ms. Caroline de Boisset, EU Political Attaché. “2020 opened up a new chapter in ASEAN-EU relations, when we decided to upgrade to a Strategic Partnership and this year, we are celebrating 45 years of Dialogue Relations between us.
“Although the differences in culture, economy, communication, operating principles and so on are still significant, we can work together to enhance development based on respecting those differences.
“I hope at the conference that we will identify the many commonalities between us and discover ways to overcome our differences, to cooperate even better. Meanwhile, our work at this conference will explore solutions to these challenges to strengthen the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership in the new context of the Indo-Pacific region.”
Some positive contributions from Vietnam to the ASEAN–EU Strategic Partnership
At the conference, attendees expressed the belief that both ASEAN and EU currently have much untapped economic potential and will continue to increase their efforts towards the common goal of achieving entirely free trade between the two.
Academics at the conference
Similar to several other ASEAN countries, Vietnam has always attached great importance to making strong contributions to the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership. In the past, ASEAN has offered practical ideas to the annual conferences, which consistently pursue transparent and peaceful foreign policies and build trust, understanding and the responsibility to create and maintain peace. At the same time, Vietnam has also actively contributed to international humanitarian activities and responded to other global challenges.
DTU Provost Dr. Le Nguyen Bao then welcomed everyone to DTU. He said: “Vietnam and the EU are currently promoting economic and trade activities, which highlights the importance of this conference in promoting our partnerships between both EU-Vietnam and EU-ASEAN in general.”
“We can learn more about international cooperation, and especially about our relationship between EU and ASEAN. I must add that the recent growth and development of DTU was made possible by international cooperation with universities around the world. However, in the future, I hope that we’ll be able to partner with more EU universities. Thankfully, this conference will allow us to connect with universities and colleges in the EU and develop new and rewarding relationships.”
The conference objective was for academics to meet and work together to analyze the ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership and agree on the opportunities and challenges that ASEAN and EU are facing in achieving their Strategic Partnership goals, identify the possible role and contributions that Vietnam can make in realizing those objectives and make recommendations.
The conference clarified the current challenges and opportunities involved as the ASEAN-EU relationship becomes increasingly comprehensive, with the potential of contributing positively to the overall peace, stability and prosperity of the two regions and the rest of the world.
(Media Center)