Prime Minister Le Minh Hung will attend the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu on 7-8/, following an invitation from Philippine President and ASEAN 2026 Chair Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.
"This trip holds particular significance. It marks Prime Minister Le Minh Hung's first foreign trip and his inaugural attendance at an ASEAN Summit in his new capacity," stated Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang in an interview released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the visit.
At the summit, Vietnam will focus on several key priorities. Foremost among these is close coordination with ASEAN member states to effectively implement the priorities of the ASEAN 2026 Chairmanship year and the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. This effort aims to build a resilient, dynamic, creative, and people-centered ASEAN Community.
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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang. *Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs*
Vietnam, alongside ASEAN, will work to maintain a peaceful, secure, and stable environment. They will uphold international law and multilateralism, strengthen intra-bloc connectivity, and expand and deepen relations with partners. These efforts aim to reinforce ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture.
Vietnam will also actively engage in the summit's priority discussions, particularly urgent issues concerning energy security, food security, and citizen support. Vietnam has proactively researched and prepared specific, practical proposals and initiatives to enhance ASEAN's collective response capabilities to increasingly complex external fluctuations and challenges.
The 48th ASEAN Summit and related meetings will be held under the theme, "Steering Our Shared Future." The summit holds special significance as ASEAN embarks on a new phase of development, following 10 years of building the ASEAN Community from 2015-2025.
The year 2026 marks the first year ASEAN will implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, along with strategic plans across four main pillars: political-security, economic, socio-cultural, and connectivity. This framework will be crucial in guiding the development of a united and resilient ASEAN, leveraging its central role in fostering cooperation and addressing regional issues.
This summit takes place amidst a rapidly changing, complex, and unpredictable regional and global landscape. Current developments in the Middle East, in particular, place significant pressure on ASEAN to maintain stability, ensure growth, and realize its long-term development objectives.
Challenges such as strategic competition, supply chain disruptions, energy security, food security, and trade protectionism are directly impacting regional stability and the lives of its citizens.
The summit will provide an opportunity for leaders from the 11 ASEAN nations to engage in comprehensive discussions on regional and international situations. They will aim to agree on strategic directions and make strategic decisions, thereby strengthening solidarity, enhancing resilience, and further affirming ASEAN's strategic value.
Ngoc Anh
