Reaffirming Vietnam’s role in the ASEAN community

At the invitation of Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., Chair of ASEAN 2026, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung will lead a high-level Vietnamese delegation to the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, from May 7 - 8. The summit will gather leaders of ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretary-General. It also marks Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s first official overseas visit since taking office.

Against a backdrop of rapidly evolving geopolitical and economic uncertainties, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s first overseas mission to the 48th ASEAN Summit carries significance far beyond a routine diplomatic engagement. Since officially joining ASEAN on July 28, 1995, Vietnam has consistently regarded ASEAN as one of the top priorities in its foreign policy. The Prime Minister’s visit reflects the continuity of Vietnam’s diplomatic strategy, reaffirming ASEAN’s central place in the country’s international integration policy. His participation also strongly demonstrates Vietnam’s continued commitment to an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, cooperative and development-oriented foreign policy, alongside diversification and multilateralisation of external relations.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the 48th ASEAN Summit is taking place amid increasingly complex and unpredictable global and regional developments, intensifying strategic competition, and escalating conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, which are generating multidimensional impacts on the global economy.

Despite these challenges, ASEAN continues to strengthen community-building efforts based on the achievements of the 2015 - 2025 period, while beginning the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its strategic plans, with the goal of building a resilient, dynamic, innovative and people-centerd ASEAN. The bloc has maintained solidarity and its central role in the regional architecture, although it continues to face challenges from both internal and external pressures.

As ASEAN Chair in 2026, the Philippines has introduced the theme “Steering a Shared Future,” outlining three major priorities for ASEAN cooperation this year: strengthening the foundations of peace and security; expanding corridors of prosperity; and empowering people across the region.

For Vietnam, more than three decades of ASEAN membership have transformed the country from a new entrant into one of the bloc’s proactive and responsible members, making substantive contributions to regional community-building. ASEAN has become one of Vietnam’s most important markets, supply chain networks and economic cooperation ecosystems.

In reality, ASEAN has emerged as the world’s fifth-largest economy, with GDP reaching approximately USD 4.16 trillion in 2025 and projected to rank fourth globally by 2030. The region is among the world’s most dynamic growth centers and serves as a convergence point for next-generation free trade agreements and global value chains.

For Vietnam, ASEAN is also an indispensable market. According to the General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance, two-way trade between Vietnam and ASEAN surged from a modest USD 3.26 billion in 1995, the year Vietnam joined the bloc, to USD 83.6 billion in 2024, before reaching USD 91 billion in 2025, representing an increase of more than fifteenfold. ASEAN now stands as one of the most important export markets for Vietnamese goods, while Vietnam has increasingly affirmed its position as a key partner for many ASEAN member states.

Contributing actively to the ASEAN community vision 2045

The 48th ASEAN Summit comes at a pivotal moment as the region begins implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, a long-term strategy aimed at building a resilient, innovative and people-centerd ASEAN.

Amid increasingly complex and unpredictable global conflicts, the Philippines, as ASEAN Chair 2026, has proposed that this summit focus discussions on three key issues: energy security, food security and the protection of ASEAN citizens. At the same time, the summit is expected to reaffirm efforts to advance strategic priorities related to strengthening intra-regional connectivity, enhancing resilience and strategic autonomy, and reinforcing ASEAN centrality, while sustaining momentum for community-building under the goals and roadmaps of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.

At the summit, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung is expected to deliver important speeches conveying the foreign policy orientation outlined at the 14th National Congress, as well as Vietnam’s perspectives on ASEAN priorities. He is also expected to propose practical initiatives to strengthen ASEAN community-building efforts and enhance the bloc’s resilience and responsiveness to external shocks, particularly the impacts of developments in the Middle East, while exchanging views on regional and international issues of common concern.

By promoting cooperation in areas such as energy security, food security, regional connectivity, green economic development and digital transformation, Vietnam is not only maintaining its image as one of Southeast Asia’s leading growth economies, but also reinforcing its position as a trusted partner in addressing non-traditional challenges.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung’s attendance at the summit therefore reflects not only Vietnam’s role as an ASEAN member state, but also the country’s proactive participation in shaping the future of the region, where today’s decisions will directly influence the economic, trade and security architecture of Vietnam and ASEAN for decades to come.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of this overseas mission lies not in bilateral or multilateral meetings, but in its overarching message: Vietnam is not merely participating in ASEAN, but is steadily contributing to the building of a united and prosperous ASEAN Community.

At a time when global supply chains are being restructured, investment flows are seeking safe destinations, and technology is becoming a decisive competitive factor, ASEAN serves as a strategic platform enabling Vietnam to integrate more deeply into global value chains. More broadly, the trip conveys the image of a confident Vietnam entering a new era of national advancement, where foreign affairs are not only a bridge for cooperation, but also a powerful lever for economic growth and development ambitions.