Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is approaching its objective of setting up a stronger framework, named the ASEAN Community, by 2015. Upon operation, the community will bring the bloc’s members closer together and improve the lives of people across the region, the Foreign Minister Minh said in an interview granted to the press.

The diplomat confirmed that ASEAN leaders have chosen December 31, 2015 as the day to officially launch the ASEAN Community, which is to be based on three key pillars: a Political-Security Community (APSC), an Economic Community (AEC) and a Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).

FM Minh said APSC will act for the common benefit of all members, shaping values to ensure a peaceful, secure and stable environment in the region while responding to other non-traditional security challenges.

As an economic community, he said, ASEAN will strive to build a single market and transform ASEAN into a region with free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labor and a freer flow of capital, supporting all members so that they will develop evenly.

Meanwhile, ASCC aims to build a caring and sharing society where the living standards, well-being, and welfare of people are enhanced.  It also seeks to facilitate connectivity and balanced development among member countries while still preserving the cultural diversity of the bloc. FM Minh stressed that a 600 million-strong market will be opened up for businesses of member countries in general and Vietnamese businesses in particular, with equal opportunities for all.

Tariff and non-tariff barriers will be removed, and after December 2015, most of imported products inside ASEAN will enjoy zero percent of tax, the official said. 

Vietnam’s products, through free trade agreements plus one (FTA+1) between ASEAN and its partners, will enjoy the same preferential tax rate when exported to China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The FM cited a recent study showing that the full implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community and FTA ASEAN+1 agreements by 2018 will help regional countries increase their revenue by 4.5 percent compared with the 2007 figure, while average wages will rise by 7.6 percent for laborers and 9.6 percent for skilled workers. However, he warned that Vietnamese businesses will also face great challenges once the ASEAN Community is realized, especially from competition provided by imported products as well as services and investment from ASEAN countries, which may lead to the shrinkage or even disappearance of some sectors or products.

He also noted that the ASEAN Politic-Security Community will give regional people a bigger chance to live in a peaceful and friendly environment, where they unite and support each other for the common development and prosperity of the region.

Stronger cooperation in defense and more exchanges among ASEAN military officers will increase mutual understanding and trust among the nations’ armed forces, contributing to reducing risks of conflicts.

Meanwhile, closer security cooperation, especially in trans-national crime prevention and intelligence information sharing, will help people have safer lives, said Minh.

Furthermore, ASEAN’s increased cooperation in human rights through the establishment of the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the approval of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD) has affirmed the member countries’ strong commitment to promoting and protecting people’s essential rights.

In conclusion, FM Minh affirmed the ASEAN Community will benefit every member in the community and contribute to creating a better and more sustainable life of all people in Southeast Asia.