47th ASEAN Summit: Forging United, Inclusive and Sustainable ASEAN

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-level Vietnamese delegation attended the 47th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (47th ASEAN Summit) and related summits in Malaysia from October 25 to 28, 2025, at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the ASEAN 2025 Chair.

Over three days of meetings, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had nearly fifty bilateral and multilateral engagements, including participation in the ASEAN summits, ASEAN-Partner events, and one-on-one meetings with most ASEAN heads of state or government and international partner organizations.

Promoting inclusive and sustainable cooperation in ASEAN

The 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits brought together nearly thirty heads of state and government from ASEAN member countries, alongside partner states and organizations such as China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund.

During more than twenty senior-level sessions and activities, leaders discussed regional and global issues. Nearly seventy documents were signed, approved or acknowledged to advance cooperation within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its external partners. These documents address priority sectors including politics, economy, trade and security, in support of the goals outlined in the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

Notably, ASEAN formally admitted Timor Leste as its eleventh member. Also, Thailand and Cambodia signed a joint declaration on a peace agreement, marking a significant step toward ending cross-border conflict and restoring peace between the two countries.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation also took part in nearly thirty related meetings and activities. He shared insights on Vietnam’s development strategy and foreign policy, offered analysis of regional and global trends, and proposed initiatives to strengthen cooperation and address emerging challenges facing ASEAN and the broader region.

In his address to the plenary session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that “inclusive and sustainable development” is both a strategic choice and requirement for ASEAN. He called on the bloc to draw on three sources of strategic strength to realize this objective: the power of unity and cohesion; dynamic self-governance, self-reliance and internal linkage; and the impetus of innovation and creativity.

At the high-level dialogue of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit 2025 (ABIS 2025), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presented Vietnam’s development priorities, innovation strategy, and commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth in line with ASEAN’s direction and global trends. He called on the international community to share a common vision and act together for joint development, shared benefits, and collective well-being. He also presented key initiatives on regional cooperation and investment, as well as efforts to enhance the partnership between ASEAN and its external partners.

New cooperation directions for a new phase

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and spoke at all the high-level summits of ASEAN with key partners including China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, as well as the United Nations. At these events, he put forward many timely and practical proposals, emphasizing enhanced unity and charting new cooperation approaches in politics, economics, energy transition, and science and technology, which were well received by partner countries.

At the ASEAN-United States Summit, he proposed four major directions to make the bilateral cooperation stronger, more substantive, and more effective: advancing economic, trade, and investment connectivity; collaborating on digital transformation, innovation, and energy security; strengthening cybersecurity and efforts against trans-national crime; and maintaining regional peace, security, and stability.

At the ASEAN-China Summit, with the guiding principle “unity is strength, cooperation delivers mutual benefits, dialogue improves mutual understanding,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed three strategic directions: enhancing smart, inclusive, and sustainable connectivity; accelerating innovation as a new growth driver; and reinforcing strategic trust to maintain peace and stability and build the East Sea into a zone of peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

In the ASEAN-Japan relationship, he proposed three cooperation priorities: expanding economic linkages; increasing collaboration in education, training, health care, science and technology, and environmental protection; and cooperating to maintain regional peace, security, and stability. At the ASEAN-India Summit, he presented three major directions to strengthen connectivity and broaden cooperation across fields including maritime collaboration and green sustainable development.

During the summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with nearly all 30 heads of delegation, including leaders of ASEAN member states, partner countries, and international organizations such as the Prime Minister of China, the President of the United States, the Prime Minister of Japan, the President of South Korea, the President of Brazil, the Prime Minister of Australia, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Minister of Canada, the President of the European Council, and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund.

In these meetings, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and foreign leaders exchanged views and discussed ways to advance bilateral cooperation across all priority fields in line with each side’s needs and strengths while sharing perspectives on regional and international issues of common interest.

Notably, Vietnam and the United States issued a Joint Statement on the Framework for a Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade Agreement. Vietnam and Singapore announced an action program to implement the Vietnam-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Recognizing Vietnam’s active and positive contributions, especially at this summit - ASEAN 2025 Chair, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described Vietnam as a highly important member of ASEAN. He highlighted Vietnam’s impressive economic growth, the signing of multiple cooperation agreements including with Malaysia, and the positive development of Malaysia-Vietnam relations, emphasizing the need to further strengthen cooperation.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s attendance and substantive contributions at the 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits reaffirm the strategic importance of ASEAN in Vietnam’s foreign policy. They also conveyed a strong message about a Vietnam that is proactive, engaged, and responsible, working with other member states to build an ASEAN Community that is united, self-reliant, inclusive, and sustainable while maintaining and strengthening ASEAN’s central role and collective voice for peace, stability, and development in the region and the world.

Anh Mai (Vietnam Business Forum)