The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to unite and amplify its collective voice in calling for an end to war and conflict, while seeking peaceful solutions based on respect for international law, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at an October 9 retreat session with leaders of member states and Timor-Leste, as part of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits in Vientiane, Laos.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at an October 9 retreat session with leaders of member states and Timor-Leste in in Vientiane, Laos, as part of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits. (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to unite and amplify its collective voice in calling for an end to war and conflict, while seeking peaceful solutions based on respect for international law, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at an October 9 retreat session with leaders of member states and Timor-Leste, as part of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits in Vientiane, Laos.
Noting opportunities and challenges brought about by significant shifts in global and regional security landscapes, participating ASEAN leaders held that it is strategically important to enhance the bloc’s connectivity, resilience, unity, centrality, and capacity-building efforts.
On regional and international issues of common concern, they agreed to consolidate ASEAN’s principled stance on the East Sea, underscoring the rule of law and peaceful resolution of disputes in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). Praising efforts by Laos as the rotating chair this year and the chair’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, they said the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus remains the guiding framework for assisting Myanmar.
In his remarks, PM Chinh called on the bloc to carry out more proactive action in capitalising on growth opportunities, driving digital transformation and green development, and addressing climate change, among other emerging fields potential for cooperation.
He went on to stress that territorial disputes in the East Sea must be resolved by peaceful means based on international law, particularly UNCLOS 1982, and calling for the respect of the interests and sovereign rights of the parties involved.
The Vietnamese Government leader said it is necessary to ensure security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the waters – one of the world’s most vital trade routes, handling 60% of global shipping traffic and impacting all nations, especially those in the region. Accordingly, he urged ASEAN member states to maintain solidarity and reinforce their central role and common stance on the East Sea.
At the retreat session (Photo: VNA)
Concerning the Myanmar issue, the PM commended the role of Laos and previous chairs in supporting the nation to seek a solution based on the Five-Point Consensus, though noting that progress remains limited. He held that this reality calls for a new approach from ASEAN.
Endorsing several solutions proposed by member states, he affirmed that the resolution should be determined by the Myanmar people and expressed his hope for dialogues and negotiations among stakeholders in the country to end the conflict, prevent harm to civilians, and mitigate security issues affecting the region, such as transnational crime and online fraud.
📖 PM Chinh asserted that ASEAN must leverage its role as a bridge to facilitate dialogue and negotiations among the concerned parties./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on ASEAN member nations to foster unity and take resilience as the foundation to enter a new phase of development with new thinking and momentum, and refreshed outlook, in his keynote speech at the plenary session of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits which opened in Vientiane on October 9.
The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related summits under the theme “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience” officially opened in Vientiane on October 9.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a working breakfast with his Lao and Cambodian counterparts, Sonexay Siphandone and Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, respectively, in Vientiane on October 9 to review, evaluate, and promote cooperation among the three countries.
Party General Secretary To Lam met with members of the Vietnam Innovation Network in Korea (VINK) and Vietnamese experts living and working in the Republic of Korea (RoK) in Seoul on August 10 as part of his state visit to the RoK.
In an interview with Korean media on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lam’s state visit to the RoK, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that the visit demonstrates Vietnam’s strong resolve to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the RoK, with the aim of fostering greater political trust, closer strategic coordination, more substantive and comprehensive cooperation, and stronger bonds of friendship between the two countries' people.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who is also a Politburo member and Secretary of the Government Party Committee, attended the 4th Party Congress of the EVN Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 tenure on August 10, directing EVN to ensure power supply to meet the country’s development demands with double-digit growth set for the coming years.
Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, along with a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Seongnam Air Base in Seoul on August 10 afternoon (local time), beginning a state visit to the Republic of Korea from August 10-13.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.