Singapore (VNA) – Complicated external situation has madecollaboration within the ASEAN bloc more important than ever before, aSingaporean expert told the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and related conference underway in Hanoi.

Dr Malcolm Cook, a visiting senior fellow with the Institute of Southeast AsianStudies (ISEAS)-Yusof Ishak Institute, said the COVID-19 pandemic, the US-Chinarivalry and concern-causing activities by China have greatly constrainedASEAN’s agenda and ability to act collectively.

Completion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) would be agood sign, showing that the bloc is able to facilitate greater regionaleconomic integration at a time when this is impossible through the World TradeOrganisation (WTO), he said.
Regarding Vietnam’s role as the ASEAN Chair in 2020 inpromoting joint regional efforts to deal with the challenges, Cook said thecountry has done a good job during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country has supported the ASEAN and ASEAN mechanisms so as to address thepandemic’s impact in the region, while maintaining progress on core ASEANinitiatives like RCEP, he said.

“Vietnam has been given a very toughtask as chair of ASEAN and so far has handled it well”, Cook emphasised./.