After nearly 30 years, Viet Nam has been playing an important role in initiatives and cooperation mechanisms as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially in the fields of security, economy, culture and sustainable development.

Viet Nam has been playing an important role in ASEAN's initiatives and cooperation mechanisms, especially in the fields of security, economy, culture and sustainable development. Viet Nam has assumed the role of ASEAN Chair three times in 1998, 2010 and 2020, making a bold mark in promoting intra-bloc solidarity and enhancing ASEAN's international standing.

In the economic field, Viet Nam has actively participated in building the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), creating conditions to promote intra-bloc trade and expand cooperation with external partners. Important agreements such as the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) are a testament to Viet Nam's strong commitment to regional economic integration.

Trade activities between Viet Nam and ASEAN have always maintained positive results. In the first 11 months of 2024, the total import and export turnover between Viet Nam and ASEAN reached 76.3 billion USD, up 13.9% over the same period last year. In which, Viet Nam's exports to ASEAN reached 33.8 billion USD, while imports reached 42.4 billion USD.

In terms of investment, ASEAN countries invested 9.52 billion USD in Viet Nam in the first 11 months of 2024, up 51.1% over the same period last year. In which, Singapore leads the ASEAN bloc in terms of investment capital in Viet Nam with a total capital of up to 9.13 billion USD, followed by Thailand with 178.52 million USD and Malaysia with 159.98 million USD,...

Commenting on the special relationship between Viet Nam and ASEAN, Mr. Pham Quang Vinh, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Former ASEAN Senior Officer (SOM) of Viet Nam, said that 2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of Viet Nam's accession to ASEAN. During the past time, Viet Nam has made important contributions to ASEAN initiatives on trade, investment, security and sustainable development.

In particular, the relationship between Viet Nam and ASEAN has gone through four stages. The first stage is to build trust. The second is to catch up with integration. The third is to familiarize yourself with the ASEAN way. In the current period, we will build the future together, towards sustainable and substantive development goals.

ASEAN is facing both challenges and great opportunities when it is located at the center of the Indo-Pacific geostrategic region, where key global economies converge. This creates intense competitive pressure but also opens up opportunities for extensive economic and political cooperation. Thanks to specific regional cooperation mechanisms, ASEAN not only strengthens intra-bloc linkages but also effectively connects with important partners around the globe, maintaining its central role in the shaping regional structure.

In the context of the trend of sustainable development becoming an increasingly inevitable requirement, ASEAN has a special advantage thanks to most member countries owning long coastlines, creating favorable conditions to promote the blue sea economic initiative. This initiative is not only limited to traditional sectors such as seafood exploitation, but also extends to other important industries such as logistics, shipping, culture and tourism. This is an opportunity for ASEAN to effectively exploit the potential of the sea, while addressing major challenges such as environmental pollution and degradation of marine ecosystems.

Viet Nam is actively participating in the blue sea economy initiative through the development and implementation of appropriate development policies. According to experts, this will be an important driving force to help the whole region effectively transform its economic model. By 2025, ASEAN is expected to come up with specific action plans to maximize this potential, contributing to promoting sustainable growth and protecting the regional environment.

FORECAST OF VIET NAM'S GDP GROWTH IN 2025

Oxford Economics forecasts that Viet Nam's GDP will grow by 6.7% in 2024 and 6.5% in 2025, thanks to the strong foundation of the manufacturing industry and the strong recovery of domestic demand. The main driver for growth in the next year still comes from the export of processed and manufactured products. Looking at the chart, it can be seen that the growth rate of Viet Nam's economy is higher than that of ASEAN-6 countries.

This forecast affirms Viet Nam's prominent position in the region, with an economic growth rate that outperforms that of the ASEAN-6 group, thanks to export strength and solid domestic recovery.