Second ASEAN Future Forum opens in Ha Noi
VGP - The second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, themed “Building a United, Inclusive, and Resilient ASEAN Amidst Global Transformations”, opened in Ha Noi on February 25.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivers his remarks at the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, Ha Noi, February 25, 2025 - Photo: VGP
The event saw the participation of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, President of Timor Lester Jose Ramos-Horta, Chairman of the Central Theory Council and President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics Nguyen Xuan Thang, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang, Lao Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn.
Three strategic priorities
Addressing the event, Prime Minister Pham called for consolidating ASEAN's strategic autonomy by enhancing solidarity and the bloc's centrality. A strategically autonomous ASEAN is an ASEAN of consensus and solidarity and plays an active role in shaping the regional order and solidarity and international cooperation in the current global context.
It is vital to build an ASEAN of economic resilience by revitalizing traditional growth drivers while promoting new ones, particularly in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, underlined the Prime Minister.
He urged the bloc to take the lead in accelerating digital transformation and innovation, developing green and circular economy and renewable energy, and integrating into global supply chains to become a strategic manufacturing hub for the world.
ASEAN needs to preserve its values and identity, including the spirit of consensus, harmony, unity in diversity, and respect for differences.
Three breakthrough actions
Regarding three breakthrough actions, Pham called for developing a more flexible, effective, and responsible decision-making mechanism, ensuring the principle of consensus while establishing special mechanisms for strategic initiatives to drive breakthroughs.
The Vietnamese leader stressed the necessity of promoting public-private partnership to mobilize all resources for regional development, especially for key projects, encouraging private sector to participate in social investment, further removing trade barriers and restrictions, and developing a smart, and secure digital economy to facilitate trade and investment within ASEAN.
Pham suggested enhancing connectivity, particularly in infrastructure, people-to-people exchanges, and harmonizing institutions for greater openness and making efforts to shorten decision-making processes and simplify administrative procedures within ASEAN countries to effectively implement cooperation initiatives.
Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son addresses the second ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, Ha Noi, February 25, 2025 - Photo: VGP
Viet Nam ready to contribute more to ASEAN Community
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said, the AFF aims to complement ASEAN's existing frameworks by fostering discussions with fresh, innovative and strategic insights.
"Our goal is to make the forum a value-added platform that can help shape ASEAN's future in a manner that best serves its interests", he noted.
This year marks a significant milestone for ASEAN, as it completes the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and is about to adopt the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Over the last six decades, ASEAN has undergone profound transformations to become a dynamic Community of 10 Member States with over 650 million people and the world's fifth largest economy. ASEAN has also established itself as the gravity of economic and security architectures in the Indo-Pacific, told the Vietnamese official.
"It's crucial for regional organizations like ASEAN to demonstrate their relevance and agency in ensuring the resilience and sustainability of established rules and norms. It's also crucial for ASEAN to maintain its unity, resilience and inclusiveness in face of new unfolding realities", underlined Bui.
According to the diplomat, throughout its ASEAN journey, Viet Nam has been steadfast in its dedication to fostering a united, cohesive, resilient, and sustainably developing community.
"We constantly reminded ourselves to be an active and responsible member of the ASEAN's family. As we now are entering into a new era of development, Viet Nam is ready to contribute even more to forge an ASEAN Community as a model of regional integration and a champion of peace, stability, and shared prosperity in this region and beyond", stated Bui.
The AFF is an initiative announced by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in 2024. It is an open, inclusive, Track 1.5 avenue "of ASEAN, by ASEAN, and for ASEAN," that brings together leaders, experts, scholars, and businesses from both domestic and international sectors to discuss and propose new initiatives for ASEAN's future development, while also fostering cooperation between ASEAN and its partners.
Organized from February 25-26, the forum conveys the message of Viet Nam's proactive and active participation, demonstrating its responsible contributions alongside ASEAN Member States in maintaining and strengthening the bloc's central role and enhancing its voice in promoting peace, stability, and development./.
