Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam Do Hung Viet

Reporter:Could you please tell us the purpose, meaning and importance of the working trip?

Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet:From October 8-11, 2024, in Vientiane, the Lao capital, the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits with more than 20 activities will take place. This is the most important series of high-level activities of ASEAN in the year, with the participation of leaders of ASEAN countries, Timor-Leste and 10 ASEAN partners, along with many guests representing international and regional organizations.

With the theme "ASEAN: Promoting Connectivity and Resilience”,The Leaders' discussions will focus on strategic issues, close to ASEAN and the region, promoting dialogue, extensive cooperation, close connection, together seizing opportunities and overcoming challenges. This is of particular importance in the context of increasingly complex international and regional situations. The sharp emergence of many challenges such as climate change, natural disasters and other extreme weather phenomena are problems that all countries need to join hands to find effective solutions.

With the spirit of being ready to contribute and make every effort for the common success, the Vietnamese delegation led by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend these Conferences, conveying many important messages about ASEAN and the future of ASEAN.

One is,ASEAN cooperation orientation. In the face of strong emerging trends, ASEAN has taken proactive steps early on to take advantage of new growth drivers. A number of frameworks are being actively negotiated, such as the ASEAN Digital Economic Framework Agreement, the ASEAN Power Grid Framework Agreement, and supply chain connectivity cooperation. The important task now is to put them into concrete implementation, in order to exploit the maximum potential and opportunities that these frameworks will bring. Accordingly, the orientation of promoting cooperation in potential areas following green-digital-sustainable trends will be a top priority at ASEAN Conferences and between ASEAN and its partners.

Second,shaping the future of ASEAN.The year 2024 marks a turning point for ASEAN, completing the 2025 Master Plans and preparing for a new development phase until 2045. Faced with the rapid, strong, and profound movements of the times, ASEAN's new development strategies are expected to elevate cooperation and connectivity in the region towards innovation, creativity, and action.It is innovation,with new thinking and ways of working, more sensitive to take advantage of opportunities and proactively respond effectively to all fluctuations.It is creative,boldly make breakthroughs, promote leading and pioneering roles in regional cooperation processes.It is action,turn commitment into concrete action, meet the aspirations and bring practical benefits to people, businesses and localities.

Third,defining the role of ASEAN.Taking place two weeks after the UN Future Summit, these Summits will contribute to affirming and spreading more strongly the irreplaceable value and importance of multilateralism in the current context. With the success of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 held in Vietnam, we have promoted our role as a bridge, conveying the Forum's recommendations and proposals to the UN Future Summit, contributing to connecting common priorities and concerns in the region with the world. With the achievements after nearly 6 decades, ASEAN has the capacity and ability to participate and contribute more deeply and effectively to global issues.

Reporter: Could you please tell us what contributions Vietnam has made to ASEAN cooperation in recent times and how it has supported the Chair country of Laos in preparing for this Summit?

Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet:After nearly three decades of participating in ASEAN, Vietnam has affirmed itself as a responsible member with an increasingly important role and voice. Adhering to the Party's foreign policy, we continue to participate in ASEAN in the spirit of being ready to contribute more and be more proactive in the common work. We closely coordinate, support and assist the Lao President to successfully assume his important responsibility, contributing to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries. Our participation and contribution to ASEAN in recent times can be summarized in the following words:proactive implementation, substantive participation and genuine contribution.

One is,effectively implement the key points and priorities proposed by the Lao President. It can be said that the 9 priority areas identified by the Lao President for 2024 are very consistent with the current common concerns of ASEAN and the region, from building strategies for the new period, strengthening ASEAN's central role, connecting economies, environmental and cultural cooperation, etc. In contacts and exchanges at all levels, our leaders affirmed their support and successful promotion of the proposed priorities. In particular, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's attendance and speech at the 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders' Summit, a landmark event in the year of the President, was highly appreciated and respected by our friends.

Second,Together with other countries, we will strive to complete the 2025 Blueprints and develop Cooperation Strategies to 2045. In this process, we will not only complete the tasks according to our member responsibilities, but also proactively put forward many ideas and proposals for regional cooperation and connectivity. The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 is a clear demonstration of our contribution in this direction, creating an open, inclusive, truly ASEAN-led forum. In the near future, we will organize a Regional Consultation on the review of the ASEAN Community Blueprint 2025 and Vision 2045, with the hope of working with other countries to review, evaluate and draw lessons and good practices for the next stage.

Third,together with other countries to strengthen ASEAN solidarity and unity in the current context of rapid and complex changes. In the spirit of constructive dialogue and goodwill, we have successfully promoted our role as a bridge to reconcile differences and harmonize interests among countries, contributing to building and strengthening ASEAN consensus on many important issues, thereby contributing to the common success. This is also the policy and motto of our participation in these ASEAN Summits. We believe that, under the leadership of the Lao Chairman, the Summits will be a great success, continuing to affirm ASEAN's stature in the region and the world, towards a more connected and self-reliant ASEAN Community.

Reporter:Thank you, Deputy Minister./.

According to: dangcongsan.vn