Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit takes place in Indonesia as the global and regional situation remains complicated and risky. The world economy has shown signs of post-pandemic recovery, with Asia-Pacific as a bright spot, but it is not sustainable due to production, trade, and investment growth remaining low while the financial and monetary sector is facing instability.

However, the restructuring manufacturing, trade, investment and consumption is happening strongly, with many countries prioritising the digital economy, green economy and circular economy. Several major economies have demonstrated resilience to volatility, with China, India, and Southeast Asian countries acting as engines of global economic growth.

ASEAN has maintained stable development, solidarity and unity in many issues, especially the process of building the ASEAN Community, but it is also confronting challenges from both inside and outside.

The association is working to finalise the Blueprint 2025 on all three pillars and is actively preparing for the next stage of development with the formulation of the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision, which focuses on enhancing institutional capacity and promoting cooperation in the direction of inclusive recovery, digital transformation, circular economy, and sustainable development. The relations between ASEAN and its partners have also been strengthened in recent time.

Vietnam continue to participate and contribute actively, proactively and responsibly with other ASEAN countries in maintaining and promoting a balanced and harmonious approach to regional and international issues, strengthening ASEAN’s central role and enhancing its responsibility and voice for peace, stability and development.

Vietnam is seen as a bridge to help narrow the difference and increase consensus within the association, as well as between ASEAN and its partners. Vietnam is also persistent and adept in integrating and promoting issues of concern and priority in ASEAN cooperation, maintaining and promoting its stance on the East Sea/South China Sea issue and on the development of the Mekong sub-region.

With the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth", the 42nd ASEAN Summit affirms the member countries’ desires and efforts to enhance ASEAN's resilience towards making ASEAN the centre and driver of growth with a leadership role in the cooperation and linkage processes in the region, thus contributing to the common goal of peace, stability and prosperity.

By holding the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, an island far from the capital Jakarta that has limited infrastructure and development conditions, but with great tourism potential, Indonesia - the ASEAN Chair in 2023 - wants to send the message of ASEAN's determination to promote economic recovery in a sustainable and inclusive way.

At the 42nd ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and ASEAN leaders will discuss the association’s priority topics such as energy security, food security, self-reliance in healthcare as well as financial and economic stability, strategic infrastructure connectivity, digital transformation, green economy, sub-regional development, and climate change response.

Vietnam brings to the Summit a message on strengthening solidarity and resilience, enhancing ASEAN's capacity to respond effectively to challenges and adapt flexibly to changes, strongly promoting its role, voice and responsibility and affirming ASEAN’s role and reputation, as well as strengthening the association's relationship with partners, contributing to building the ASEAN Community.

Affirming the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, as well as diversification and multilateralisation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's trip to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit is a step in the continued implementation of the 13th National Party Congress's foreign policy of advancing and increasing the effectiveness of foreign affairs and international integration and stepping up and elevating multilateral diplomacy.

May Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's trip to the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia a great success, which will continue to affirm Vietnam's active, proactive, and creative participation and responsible contribution to strengthening ASEAN’s central role and promoting ASEAN's voice for peace, stability and development in the region and the world at large.