Vietnam Strengthening Regional Ties at 47th ASEAN Summit

Strategic Insights -

Vietnam's Foreign Minister, Le Hoai Trung, met with counterparts from Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 27, reaffirming commitment to strengthening regional relations and cooperation. The meetings were held on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits. Vietnam's foreign minister, along with his counterparts, emphasized the importance of regional unity, cooperation, and solidarity in addressing global and regional issues.

Key Takeaways:

  • Vietnam and Cambodia reaffirmed their commitment to prioritizing the strengthening and development of their good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability, with a focus on advancing their partnership in a more practical and effective manner.
  • Vietnam and Thailand agreed to work closely together to translate the important outcomes of the 4th Vietnam-Thailand Joint Cabinet Retreat into concrete actions and expedite the building of the 2026-2030 Action Plan for realizing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
  • Vietnam and Thailand reaffirmed their resolve to raise two-way trade to 25 billion USD in a balanced manner and advance the "Three Connectivity" strategy.
  • Vietnam's Foreign Minister, Le Hoai Trung, congratulated Thailand on signing its Joint Declaration with Cambodia, outlining peaceful measures to resolve their border issue, and expressed Vietnam's readiness to join ASEAN's collective efforts to help both nations fully and effectively realize the agreement.
  • Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia emphasized the importance of solidarity among Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, as well as ASEAN's unity and consensus in the current context.
  • Vietnam and the Philippines agreed to enhance coordination and improve the effectiveness of existing cooperation mechanisms and agreements, such as the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, and organize practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026.
  • Vietnam and Japan expressed satisfaction with the strong and comprehensive development of their relationship, underpinned by growing political trust and proposed to continue close coordination to deepen the Vietnam-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Statistics:

  • 20 billion USD: Target for two-way trade between Vietnam and Cambodia in the coming years
  • 25 billion USD: Target for two-way trade between Vietnam and Thailand in a balanced manner
  • 1982: Year the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was adopted
  • 2026-2035: Term for which Vietnam has been proposed to be a Judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)

Sources:

  • Vietnam News Agency