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| Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son with Foreign Ministers of ASEAN member countries, ASEAN Secretary-General and Timor-Leste Foreign Minister at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat 2025 in Langkawi, Malaysia, January 19. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 with the theme “Inclusiveness and Sustainability” has passed the halfway point. The focuses and priorities set out at the beginning of the year are gradually being realized, especially after the 46th ASEAN Summit. AMM 58 will strongly promote cooperation initiatives, prepare for the 47th ASEAN Summit, demonstrate determination to soon reap the “late harvest”, and close a year full of imprints for ASEAN.
In his policy speech when visiting the ASEAN Secretariat (March 2025), General Secretary To Lam quoted President Ho Chi Minh 's advice: "Nothing is difficult, only fear of not being steadfast, digging mountains and filling seas, determination will surely make it happen". Earlier this year, at the ASEAN Future Forum 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also quoted a familiar Vietnamese proverb: "One tree cannot make a forest/Three trees together can make a high mountain"... Those messages from Vietnam's senior leaders are meaningful in arousing ASEAN's solidarity and determination to "overcome difficulties"; challenges are the driving force for the Association's innovation.
That is also the spirit that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son brought to the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM 58) and related meetings in Malaysia from July 7-11. Today's context, with more difficulties and challenges than before, requires ASEAN and its member countries to continue to stand side by side, giving the highest priority to the process of building the Community.
AMM 58 is also an opportunity for Vietnam to confirm its consistent policy towards the Association - a multilateral cooperation mechanism that is directly linked and of primary importance; together towards aspirational goals; and together write and spread ASEAN's success stories.
| Within the framework of AMM 58, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bui Thanh Son will co-chair the 16th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the 13th Mekong-Korea Cooperation Meeting, demonstrating the Party's policy of proactively and actively integrating comprehensively, deeply and effectively into the international community, elevating multilateral diplomacy and participating in Mekong sub-regional cooperation. |
New framework, new hope
Within the framework of AMM 58, ASEAN Foreign Ministers focused on promoting the implementation of decisions made at the 46th ASEAN Summit, promptly putting strategic frameworks into practice; at the same time, making efforts to complete intra-bloc cooperation initiatives such as the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, ASEAN Power Grid, carbon neutrality, etc. to take advantage of new growth drivers.
It can be seen that the current world situation is creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges for the international order and ASEAN. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim – ASEAN Chair 2025 called these geopolitical “inflection points”, while ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn likened them to “fault lines” that are always shifting.
However, ASEAN does not stand aside. The more challenges arise, the more united the “golden rice bundle” of ASEAN becomes, demonstrating its mettle and self-reliance, not only through will but also through action. The results of the 46th ASEAN Summit and related conferences are clear evidence of that spirit.
At the 46th ASEAN Summit, the leaders signed the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on “ASEAN 2045: Our Common Future” and adopted the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 with four strategic pillars on politics-security, economics, culture-society and connectivity. This is an important milestone, demonstrating ASEAN's proactive leadership role in shaping the future of the region, arousing aspirations for development and reaching out for peace, stability and common prosperity.
In an interview with the press about this historic milestone, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bui Thanh Son said that the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 will be a framework for the bloc to act together, adapt and reach out for development. “ASEAN needs to strengthen its autonomy and self-reliance, especially economic self-reliance, to withstand external shocks. ASEAN's foreign relations need to pursue a consistent approach, with a focus on ASEAN's long-term strategic priorities,” the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister gave an example.
The spirit of solidarity, inclusiveness and connectivity is also promoted through the decision to admit Timor-Leste as the 11th member next October. This is not only a historic turning point for Timor-Leste but also opens up a new space for cooperation for ASEAN after three decades.
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| The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings took place from July 8-11 in Malaysia. (Source: Bernama) |
Not stopping at long-term plans and admitting new members, ASEAN is also expanding its associational thinking to adapt to geopolitical and geo-economic fluctuations. In addition to exploiting cooperation opportunities within the bloc and with existing partners, ASEAN is strengthening its connections outside the region, typically the recent ASEAN-GCC and ASEAN-GCC-China Summits.
The above “sweet fruits” all have historical significance for ASEAN. That once again shows that solidarity, self-reliance, cooperation, and unity in diversity continue to be the key to ensuring ASEAN's success, even in a context full of “storms and turbulence”. As General Secretary To Lam emphasized in his policy speech at the ASEAN Secretariat: "Consensus and solidarity do not mean always staying in a safe zone. On the contrary, members of the ASEAN family must dare to think, dare to do, dare to act for the common good. That is the true meaning and value of consensus and solidarity".
Same roof, same aspirations
Attending the 58th AMM, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son brought with him national pride, as this July also marks the 30th anniversary of the red flag with yellow star flying in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), marking Vietnam's official accession to ASEAN, opening a journey of deep integration and close ties with the region and the world.
Over the past three decades, Vietnam has always prioritized promoting relations with neighboring and regional countries, actively contributing to the process of building a united, strong and self-reliant ASEAN Community, thereby affirming its role and position in ASEAN. It can be said that Vietnam's maturity is closely linked to ASEAN's mark and in the development path of ASEAN, Vietnam's "shadow" is clearly imprinted.
Today, both Vietnam and ASEAN stand at a new historical starting point, moving towards ambitious goals. Vietnam is more aware of its responsibility to proactively participate and contribute more to the common work, with the motto of creativity in thinking, innovation in approach, flexibility in implementation, efficiency in approach and determination in action.
At the recent ASEAN Summit, Vietnam continued to demonstrate its proactive and responsible spirit with many practical and brisk proposals. Vietnam and ASEAN countries promote new development thinking, focusing on inclusiveness and sustainability. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's "5 more" message "More united, more self-reliant, more proactive, more inclusive and more sustainable" was highly appreciated by the countries, becoming a comprehensive foundation for ASEAN to enhance its collective strength, master the game and ensure sustainable development for today's and future generations.
The Vietnamese Government leader also inspired ASEAN cooperation in many key areas such as renewable energy, smart agriculture, sustainable infrastructure, green technology, aviation, tourism and the development of a strong financial network between major centers in the region, creating a launching pad for inter-regional cooperation in the future. With many initiatives, Vietnam has continuously spread innovative thinking in ASEAN, continuing to affirm its proactive, positive and responsible role in building a region of stable and sustainable development.
After 58 years of formation and development, ASEAN has turned the dream of a harmonious community, where “mountains and rivers no longer separate us but unite us in cooperation and friendship”, into reality. Vietnam is proud to have accompanying and contributed to that journey for 30 years. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bui Thanh Son's visit to the 58th AMM continues to nurture ASEAN's aspirations and affirms that Vietnam is always steadfast in accompanying and making efforts for a united and self-reliant ASEAN.
| Attending the 58th AMM and a series of related conferences, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Bui Thanh Son continued to affirm Vietnam's support for Malaysia in its ASEAN Chairmanship year; proposed specific initiatives of Vietnam to jointly create a stable and sustainable development future for the region and ASEAN; and sought strong and effective solutions to the issues facing the Association. On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister will also co-chair the ASEAN-New Zealand Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the ASEAN-UK Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the two partner countries that Vietnam is coordinating in relations with ASEAN. Ambassador, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to ASEAN Ton Thi Ngoc Huong |
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/amm-58-tang-toc-cho-vu-mua-dac-biet-319824.html
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