47th ASEAN Summit: Prime Minister proposes ASEAN strongly leverage its three strategic sources of strength.

According to the VNA special correspondent, on October 26, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, along with leaders of ASEAN countries, attended the Plenary Session and the Closed Session of the 47th ASEAN Summit, chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the Plenary Session of the 47th ASEAN Summit and the Signing Ceremony of the Second Protocol amending the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA). Photo: Duong Giang/VNA

Speaking at the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that "inclusiveness and sustainability" is a strategic choice and requirement of ASEAN, and proposed that ASEAN strongly promote its three strategic sources of strength.

Before the discussions began, the ASEAN Leaders listened to presentations from the Chair's guests, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, European Council President Antonio Costa, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

In their statements, the Canadian Prime Minister, the President of the European Council, and the Managing Director of the IMF all shared the challenges facing the world , while also appreciating the role, position, and achievements of ASEAN in recent years, considering ASEAN as one of the models of multilateral cooperation, and proposing many priorities and measures to further strengthen cooperative relations.

The IMF Managing Director believes that if ASEAN continues its current approach – which prioritizes institutional reforms, supports private sector development, strengthens intra-regional and partner trade, and especially completely removes tariffs – it could boost the region's GDP by 4.3% and create 4 million new jobs.

ASEAN Leaders shared a high appreciation for the significant and multifaceted achievements made during Malaysia's chairmanship year, towards building a sustainable and inclusive Community, promoting free trade, capital and human resource flows, and continuously expanding and deepening relations with partners, including the signing of the Protocol to upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Agreement and promoting the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

At the same time, the Leaders also shared their views on the difficulties, challenges, and non-traditional risks that countries are dealing with, such as climate change, natural disasters, epidemics, transnational crime, and social inadequacies such as poverty, inequality, and the widening gap between rich and poor…

Accordingly, the Leaders highlighted the importance and determination to effectively implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and the adopted strategic plans, aiming to build a united, resilient, and dynamic ASEAN Community with people at its center; while continuing to prioritize cooperation in narrowing the development gap, promoting inclusive and sustainable development, accelerating digital transformation, and addressing challenges related to climate change, thereby enhancing the region's collective resilience.

The Leaders also emphasized that ASEAN needs to maintain unity, promote its central and leading role in order to continue contributing to peace and stability in the region. At the same time, ASEAN needs to further deepen existing partnerships, as well as actively consider and expand relations with new partners.

On the international stage, ASEAN needs to continue to uphold multilateralism, affirm the role of regional mechanisms in promoting dialogue, cooperation, and confidence-building, while also enhancing ASEAN's role, voice, and collective contributions in addressing global issues.

The Leaders also affirmed their continued support and assistance to Timor-Leste in fulfilling its obligations and membership criteria, and in fully and effectively integrating into regional cooperation.

Regarding international and regional issues, the countries welcomed the signing of the peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, affirming their commitment to actively participate in and support the effective implementation of the agreements.

The countries appreciated the role and efforts of the Chair country, Malaysia, in promoting the implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar; they agreed that the Consensus continues to be the main direction for ASEAN's engagement efforts in the coming period, prioritizing a ceasefire and cessation of violence, resuming dialogue, and delivering humanitarian aid to the people.

Regarding the South China Sea, in the context of continuing complex developments and incidents, the countries emphasized the importance of maintaining ASEAN's solidarity, unity, and common stance on the South China Sea issue, affirming their efforts to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and to soon achieve an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh congratulated Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysia on the significant achievements made during their ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, the year marking the beginning of the journey towards realizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Warmly congratulating Timor-Leste on officially becoming the 11th member of the ASEAN family, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his belief that this event will inspire new confidence, new enthusiasm, and create new momentum for the Association's development process; affirming that Vietnam will share its experience with Timor-Leste in connecting and integrating deeply into regional cooperation, including cooperation to narrow the development gap.

Emphasizing that "inclusiveness and sustainability" are ASEAN's strategic choices and requirements in a volatile and uncertain world, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed that ASEAN strongly leverage its three strategic strengths to realize this goal.

Firstly, ASEAN needs to strengthen its solidarity and unity, thereby enhancing its overall strength and implementing the Association's strategies and action plans in a coordinated and effective manner.

Secondly, ASEAN needs to promote its dynamism, self-reliance, and self-strength, consolidating intra-bloc linkages by proactively and urgently implementing cooperation plans combined with regular review and adjustment to ensure the smooth operation of mechanisms; increasing the proportion of intra-bloc trade and investment while expanding regional and inter-regional cooperation frameworks.

ASEAN also needs to connect supply chains and new economic models focusing on green, digital, circular, and innovative approaches, and to work together to combat drug trafficking and cybercrime. Simultaneously, it needs to more closely connect development spaces from sub-regional to inter-regional levels to create an open, dynamic, and inclusive economic network, effectively leveraging the role of the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam (CLMV) Cooperation, of which Vietnam will chair the Summit in 2026.

Thirdly, ASEAN needs to strive to create momentum for innovation and creativity by urgently completing new cooperation frameworks such as the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement and the ASEAN Digital Master Plan, promoting cooperation on cross-border data infrastructure development and data governance, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, and exploring the establishment of an ASEAN Innovation Center Network.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced that Vietnam will host the third ASEAN Future Forum in 2026 to nurture and cultivate ideas for an inclusive and sustainable future for the region.

In the context of continued complex and unpredictable changes in the world and the region, the Prime Minister urged ASEAN to continuously strive to contribute to maintaining an environment of peace, security, stability, and development, considering this a top priority.

Accordingly, ASEAN needs to make greater efforts to maintain unity, cohesion, and a consistent, principled stance on the South China Sea issue, upholding adherence to international law, including UNCLOS 1982; and to promote the early achievement of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law, especially UNCLOS 1982, by all relevant parties.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also emphasized that ASEAN needs to continue to uphold the culture of dialogue and cooperation, resolving disputes and disagreements peacefully on the basis of the principles of the ASEAN Charter, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and international law; accordingly, he welcomed Cambodia and Thailand's persistence in dialogue based on friendly neighborly relations and the spirit of the ASEAN community, and committed to actively coordinating with other members and supporting the two countries in fully implementing the agreements reached.

Regarding the situation in Myanmar, emphasizing that it is a test of ASEAN's credibility, cohesion, and crisis management capacity, the Prime Minister suggested that ASEAN engage more actively with relevant parties to promote the implementation of a ceasefire, dialogue, and reconciliation, thereby creating a favorable foundation for orderly, democratic, fair, transparent, and inclusive general elections.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed confidence in the experience and capabilities of the Philippines – the ASEAN Chair in 2026 – and affirmed that Vietnam will cooperate with and support the Philippines in fulfilling the priorities of its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026. He also expressed hope that under the leadership of the Philippines and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., ASEAN will become more innovative and creative, achieving greater success in the process of building the Community, strengthening ASEAN's solidarity and central role, and bringing many positive benefits to the people, businesses, and localities.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/chinh-polit/hoi-nghi-cap-cao-asean-47-thu-tuong-de-nghi-asean-phat-huy-manh-me-3-cuoi-nguon-suc-manh-chien-luoc-20251027060555334.htm