Vietnam contributes to shaping ASEAN's future in many aspects

At the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit taking place from October 26 to 28, many important initiatives are expected to create breakthroughs for the regional integration process, including important contributions from Vietnam.

On this occasion, VNA reporter in Jakarta interviewed Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to ASEAN.

Here is the interview content:

- Dear Ambassador, one of the expectations of this conference is to pass the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). Could you share Vietnam's views on the impact of this Agreement on the region's economic connectivity as well as the benefits of Vietnamese enterprises?

Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong: The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) is one of the key initiatives of the ASEAN Digital Transformation Roadmap. This is a major step forward demonstrating the determination of member countries in promoting regional integration based on digital platforms, towards the goal of making ASEAN a region with a leading digital economy.

The DEFA Agreement is being actively negotiated by ASEAN countries and is expected to be signed by the end of 2026. During Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2025, the basic completion of the DEFA negotiations was identified as one of the Priority Economic Initiatives (PED). To date, ASEAN countries have achieved more than 70% of the negotiation progress and basically completed this initiative.

DEFA, when completed, will bring many important benefits to ASEAN. First, it is expected to double the value of the regional digital economy, reaching about 2,000 billion USD by 2030. DEFA will also help build a unified legal and policy framework for the region, harmonize digital regulations among member states, facilitate cross-border data movement, ensure encryption, cybersecurity and privacy.

In addition, DEFA also expands opportunities for small and medium enterprises, youth and start-ups to participate in the regional digital economy, thereby promoting innovation and enhancing ASEAN’s overall competitiveness. The agreement also aims to build a safe and reliable electronic transaction environment, thereby enhancing ASEAN’s position and ability to attract international investment into the region.

For Vietnam, DEFA brings practical benefits in many aspects. The agreement will help accelerate the national digital transformation process, increase the export of digital services and e-commerce, while creating more high-skilled jobs and promoting the development of digital human resources. DEFA also contributes to reducing compliance costs, improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises, and attracting more foreign investment in the fields of technology, innovation and digital infrastructure.

Thus, the successful implementation of DEFA not only helps ASEAN strengthen its position in the global digital economy, but also opens up great opportunities for Vietnam to integrate more deeply into the regional value chain, taking advantage of digital advantages to serve sustainable development and improve growth quality in the coming time.

- The report of the high-level economic task force submitted to ASEAN leaders made a number of recommendations on ASEAN's response to emerging economic challenges. What is your assessment of these recommendations and what specific suggestions or contributions did Vietnam make in the process of developing these recommendations, Ambassador?

Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong: The report of the ASEAN Senior Economic Task Force (AGTF) is a remarkable effort by ASEAN in comprehensively assessing the regional economic situation and proposing action directions for the coming period.

The AGTF recommendations represent a strategic vision to strengthen resilience and promote deep and sustainable economic integration. The report focuses on key issues today such as strengthening the ability to implement economic commitments, promoting green and digital transformation, improving the investment environment and facilitating trade.

The AGTF recommends short-term and long-term measures. In the short term, it is necessary to establish a common approach to respond to trade instability, accelerate the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs), especially the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and soon complete the negotiation process to upgrade the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and DEFA.

An important new point is that the Report also recommends that ASEAN develop a comprehensive approach to regional economic security and maintain the AGTF as a permanent consultative mechanism.

In the medium and long term, the report recommends that ASEAN strengthens intra-bloc market integration, expands regional purchasing power, upgrades the RCEP framework, harmonizes rules of origin, eliminates tariffs and updates commitments in line with ASEAN+1 FTAs; and increases coordination in global forums such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Group of 20 (G20).

The report emphasizes strengthening ASEAN institutions, especially inter-pillar coordination and cooperation with the private sector.

Vietnam highly appreciates the proactive and constructive spirit of the AGTF and supports the orientations outlined in the report. In the context of the global economic and trade situation still fraught with many risks, it is necessary for ASEAN to soon agree on specific measures to strengthen connectivity, reduce barriers and promote inclusiveness.

During the exchange and discussion, Vietnam actively participated, sharing views and experiences on sustainable development and responding to economic challenges.

Vietnam is always ready to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN countries, share experiences and resources, to overcome current challenges, seize new opportunities, and move towards an inclusive, self-reliant and prosperous ASEAN Community.

- Could the Ambassador elaborate on Vietnam's contributions to ASEAN in two positions: coordinating ASEAN - New Zealand relations and chairing the task force on narrowing the development gap?

Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong: As the coordinator of ASEAN-New Zealand relations for the 2024-2027 period, Vietnam has actively promoted extensive cooperation between the two sides. 2025 is an important milestone when ASEAN and New Zealand celebrate 50 years of dialogue relations - ASEAN's second-longest partnership after Australia.

The 13th meeting of the ASEAN-New Zealand Joint Cooperation Committee. (Photo: VNA)

In its role as coordinator, Vietnam has worked closely with ASEAN countries and New Zealand to complete important documents, towards establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the ASEAN-New Zealand 50th Anniversary Summit scheduled for late October.

In addition to the common vision statement, the ASEAN-New Zealand Action Plan for 2026-2030 is also being finalised, aiming to specify cooperation orientations in areas such as connectivity, digital transformation, sustainable development, climate change, education and people-to-people exchange.

Meanwhile, as Chair of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force, Vietnam continues to demonstrate its proactive, bridging and leading role. Vietnam is taking the lead in promoting the development and completion of the Action Plan for the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Phase V (2026-2030) - a document guiding cooperation to narrow the development gap among ASEAN countries in the next 5 years.

This plan inherits and expands from previous phases, focusing on 6 strategic areas in line with new development trends, including: food and agriculture; micro-enterprises and the informal sector; education and skills; public health; empowerment and resilience for local communities; inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Vietnam has actively coordinated with ASEAN countries and partners, research institutes, etc. to ensure that this plan has a long-term vision, is practical, and brings specific benefits to member countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Timor Leste (after the admission ceremony scheduled to take place at the 47th ASEAN Summit).

- Thank you very much, Ambassador!./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-gop-phan-dinh-hinh-tuong-lai-asean-qua-nhieu-phuong-dien-post1072313.vnp