Vietnam Proposes Measures to Boost ASEAN Relations with Key Partners

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung proposed concrete measures to boost ASEAN's relations with key partners such as the United States, Russia, and China. At the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Manila, Philippines, Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed that China is one of ASEAN's most dynamic and comprehensive partners, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To enhance the quality and strategic value of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two sides, the minister proposed three priorities: promoting high-quality economic integration and strengthening infrastructure connectivity; taking innovation and AI as new growth drivers; and strengthening strategic trust and coordinating to respond to non-traditional security challenges. Regarding the South China Sea, the minister emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight. He welcomed the progress in the negotiation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) and called on parties to complete an effective and substantive COC that is consistent with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), soon. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaffirmed that ASEAN continues to be a priority in his country's neighborhood diplomacy policy and reiterated support for ASEAN's central role in the regional architecture. According to him, ASEAN-China cooperation is one of the important driving forces promoting peace, stability, and development in the region and the world. China will enhance coordination to promote regional integration, sustainable development, and inclusive growth, with key focuses including maintaining peace and stability; ensuring economic and energy security; promoting technological innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and green growth; and people-centered development. ASEAN countries highly appreciated China's continued support for ASEAN's centrality and active participation in ASEAN-led mechanisms. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination to respond to non-traditional security challenges such as transnational crime, cybercrime, online scams, terrorism, and drug trafficking. The meeting also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-China Action Plan on Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Ecosystem for 2026-2030, the establishment of the ASEAN-China AI Industry Innovation Center, efforts towards establishing the ASEAN-China Digital Academy, and noted the proposal to designate 2027 as the "ASEAN-China AI Cooperation Year." ASEAN countries highly appreciated China's support in promoting the ASEAN Power Grid, energy transition, and clean energy development. The meeting also adopted the Joint Statement of the ASEAN and China Foreign Ministers on the Regional Impact of the Situation in the Middle East and Enhancing Regional Energy Cooperation. This was part of the framework of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 59) and related meetings. At the ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers' Meeting held on the same day, Minister Le Hoai Trung highly appreciated the U.S.'s commitment to regional peace, stability, and development. Regarding economic cooperation, Minister Le Hoai Trung proposed that the two sides promote open, transparent, and mutually beneficial trade and investment, and enhance cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, science and technology, innovation, energy transition, and regional energy connectivity. ASEAN Ministers highly appreciated the U.S.'s commitment to supporting ASEAN's centrality and actively participating in ASEAN-led mechanisms, and noted the proposal to build an ASEAN-U.S. Leaders' Statement on "10 Public-Private Principles in Preventing and Combating Online Scams." At the ASEAN-Russia Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Minister Le Hoai Trung proposed creating a breakthrough in economic cooperation, aiming for a trade target of $45 billion by 2035. The minister also proposed the early concretization of the ASEAN-Russia Joint Statement on Energy Cooperation, prioritizing the development of strategic fuel storage and reserves facilities, expanding LNG trade, and strengthening cooperation in renewable energy, civil nuclear energy, and energy-saving technologies.