According to VOV.VN, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung participated in the opening of the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila, the Philippines, on November 15 alongside heads of state from other ASEAN nations, focusing discussions heavily on geopolitical tensions, economic integration, and regional security.
Held under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”, the summit reflects ASEAN’s determination to strengthen unity and collective resilience as geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, technological shifts, climate change and transnational threats change the international order.
During his opening remarks, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed the importance of ASEAN countries collaborating to convert mutual aspirations into shared objectives. Furthermore, he noted advancements made in trade and supply chains, regional power connectivity, maritime cooperation, digital economic integration, and the fight against transnational crime.
Through this summit, Vietnam intends to showcase its dedication to engaging responsibly, actively, and proactively in ASEAN matters. Collaborative discussions on actionable strategies to foster new growth drivers—such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and the green transition—will involve Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and other regional leaders, alongside efforts to fortify food and energy security as well as build robust supply chains.
Additional goals for Vietnam include broadening collaboration and strengthening political trust with fellow ASEAN members and partners via bilateral talks, driving forward existing agreements, and tackling any barriers to partnership. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has put forward an initiative to create a catalog of priority ASEAN infrastructure initiatives spanning through 2040, concentrating on sustainable smart cities, cross-border logistics and transport, digital infrastructure, and power grids.