ASEAN and the aspiration to reach greater heights.

The 15th ASEAN-United Nations Summit took place in Malaysia. — The 15th ASEAN-United Nations Summit took place in Malaysia .

2025 is a significant year for ASEAN, filled with historic events. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in development, initiating the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 – a document outlining the Association's direction for the next 20 years. For Vietnam, 2025 signifies its 30th anniversary as a member of ASEAN, providing an opportunity to reflect on ASEAN's growth and increasing strength, closely intertwined with Vietnam's significant contributions.

Unity for confident progress

The year 2025 will not only test the resilience of ASEAN economies but also the belief in internal solidarity. With unwavering determination in the face of difficulties and challenges, ASEAN member states have strived to build a strong community, maintaining their identity and the bonds of unity and cooperation.

In May 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, within the framework of the 46th ASEAN Summit, regional leaders adopted the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, opening a new chapter of ASEAN's development on its journey towards regional integration over the next 20 years.

This is a strong affirmation of the commitment and determination of the countries in their efforts to build a resilient, dynamic, innovative, and people-centered ASEAN. With the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the Association is entering a crucial transitional phase, requiring ASEAN to continue promoting solidarity, strengthening internal capacity, and enhancing linkages to overcome all difficulties and move towards long-term goals.

Amidst a wave of protectionism shaking the global economy, ASEAN will continue to assert its position as an indispensable link in the global supply chain and trade system in 2025. With a commitment to maintaining a free and fair multilateral trading system, the Association continues to be a "safe harbor" for the economic ships of its member countries to anchor.

In order to enhance economic self-reliance and strengthen intra-bloc linkages, ASEAN has upgraded the Agreement on Trade in Goods (ATIGA), essentially completed the Framework Agreement on the Digital Economy (DEFA), promoted the ASEAN Grid Connection (APG), upgraded the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA 3.0), promoted the upgrading of the FTA with South Korea, and explored negotiations for FTAs with the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)...

In particular, DEFA is a pioneering initiative aimed at building a unified digital market, with common rules on e-commerce, cross-border data flows, cybersecurity, identity, and digital payments. When implemented, DEFA is projected to double the size of ASEAN's digital economy to approximately US$2 trillion by 2030.

The year 2025 also marks a special milestone in the Association's development. After a persistent and steadfast journey, Timor Leste officially became the 11th member, marking the second expansion of ASEAN after 30 years (the first beginning with Vietnam's accession in 1995).

Timor Leste's accession to ASEAN comes at a time when many "hot spots" are challenging the spirit of solidarity and the Association's central role. In this context, the event takes on profound significance, not only expanding ASEAN's geopolitical and economic sphere but also serving as a testament to regional solidarity. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh believes that the admission of Timor Leste will ignite confidence, enthusiasm, and create new momentum for the Association's development.

On the international stage, ASEAN continues to uphold multilateralism, affirming the role of regional mechanisms in promoting dialogue, cooperation, and building trust. Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son once emphasized ASEAN's role as "a beacon of peace," a model regional organization for dialogue and resolving differences through peaceful means. Despite facing numerous challenges in the context of increasing strategic competition among major powers, ASEAN's cooperation mechanisms such as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) continue to attract the attention and participation of partners, thereby contributing to the common goal of peace, security, stability, and sustainable development in the region.

Affirming Vietnam's spirit

Thirty years ago, in 1995, Vietnam officially joined ASEAN. Since this historic moment, the Vietnamese "ship" began its first strokes on the journey of integration, overcoming turbulent waves to now stand firm at sea. Vietnam's aspiration for development and integration has met and converged with ASEAN's desire to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region. The time spent alongside ASEAN has witnessed Vietnam's powerful transformation, from a country ravaged by war, subjected to embargoes and sanctions, to a proactive, positive, and responsible partner of the region and the world. This success story has also inspired many ASEAN member states.

Every initiative and contribution made by Vietnam to building a strong ASEAN is a firm affirmation of its character and determination to dedicate itself wholeheartedly to the Association. Vietnam has been and continues to lead many important cooperation processes within ASEAN.

In an interview with a reporter from Nhan Dan Newspaper regarding Vietnam's important contributions to ASEAN, Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to ASEAN, stated that Vietnam has made significant contributions to defining ASEAN's goals and formulating major policies, including important documents such as: the ASEAN Vision 2020, the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and 2045, and master plans on connectivity and narrowing the development gap.

According to the Ambassador, in the context of complex and volatile global and regional situations, Vietnam has always actively and proactively participated in contributing to the process of building principles and shaping the "rules of the game" in the region, working with ASEAN to ensure peace, security, and stability, and promoting dialogue and cooperation.

The sustained contributions of Vietnam and other member states have created an increasingly strong and self-reliant ASEAN. Speaking to a reporter from Nhan Dan Newspaper, the Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam – whose country holds the ASEAN chairmanship in 2025 – Dato' Tan Yang Thai stated that Vietnam's mark on ASEAN is clearly demonstrated through its efforts to lead the "common home" through difficult periods. At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam successfully assumed the ASEAN chairmanship in 2020, chaired the first ASEAN Summit online, established the ASEAN Covid-19 Response Fund, and promoted the implementation of post-pandemic recovery measures…

With the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, ASEAN is anticipating new opportunities on its development path over the next two decades, aiming to build a resilient, dynamic, innovative, united region centered on its people. Driven by aspirations for advancement, Vietnam is enthusiastically entering this new era; Vietnam's development is always closely linked to the overall development of ASEAN. On this historic threshold, Vietnam, together with other ASEAN countries, is determined to contribute to realizing the Association's goals and spreading success stories of regional and international integration.

Updated 11/12/2025

Source: https://laichau.gov.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/chuyen-de/tin-trong-nuoc/asean-va-khat-vong-vuon-tam.html