Vietnam hands over ASEAN Chairmanship to Brunei (Source: vtv.vn)

On November 15, Vietnam handed over the ASEAN Chairmanship to Brunei that will play host to the upcoming ASEAN Summits and related meetings for the whole of 2021.
According to VTV, passing on the gavel to Brunei ambassador to Vietnam Pengiran Haji Sahari bin Pengiran Haji Salleh, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam that assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020 expressed his belief that Brunei, as the next ASEAN chair, will continue to move ASEAN forward and forge an ASEAN Community endowed with a vision for broad connectivity, active adaptability, comprehensive recovery, and sustainable development.
Addressing the closing ceremony, PM Phuc noted ASEAN leaders adopted a wide range of decisive and concrete measures to beef up cooperation in responding to and overcoming challenges facing ASEAN, including the COVID-19 pandemic, maintain the trajectory of cooperation, and chart new courses for the ASEAN Community towards greater development, so it would truly become the nucleus of the region, with the people at its heart.
VTV quoted that “We have shared our respective views on emerging regional and international issues. It is agreed that we must maintain and build upon ASEAN centrality, promote dialogue and cooperation, prevent conflicts, build confidence, and shape a regional architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive and rules-based,” said Phuc.
Vietnamese PM nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the closing ceremony of the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, wrapping up a successful year for Vietnam in its role as the ASEAN Chair. (Photo: VGP)
Vietnamese PM nguyen Xuan Phuc addresses the closing ceremony of the 37th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, wrapping up a successful year for Vietnam in its role as the ASEAN Chair. (Photo: VGP)
During the 37th ASEAN Summit, regional leaders adopted the Mid-term Review of the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025, agreed on the necessity to review the implementation of the ASEAN Charter, and displayed their determination to promote subregional cooperation as an integral part of the ASEAN development process.
The Summit also adopted the Hanoi Declaration on the ASEAN Community's post-2025 Vision, laying a solid foundation for the ASEAN Community to move ahead.
To promote ASEAN’s rich identity, ASEAN leaders encouraged the hoisting of the ASEAN flag and the use of the ASEAN anthem in order to bring the ASEAN image closer to local people and the community as a whole./.

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