Vietnamese Delegation Attends ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Malaysia
Langkawi, The Gulf Observer: A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn participated in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Langkawi, Malaysia, on Sunday.
The retreat, the first key event under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, was chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan. It gathered foreign ministers from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretary-General, and Timor-Leste’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, who attended as an observer.
Vietnam’s Commitment to ASEAN Cooperation
In his address, Sơn commended ASEAN’s achievements in 2024 under Laos’ chairmanship, highlighting them as a strong foundation for future cooperation. He expressed Vietnam’s full support for Malaysia’s theme and priorities for 2025 and reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to working closely with member states to implement ASEAN initiatives.
Sơn emphasized the importance of maintaining ASEAN unity and enhancing its central role in regional and global affairs. He also called for deepening partnerships with existing and new external partners to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.
As Vietnam assumes its role as coordinator for ASEAN-New Zealand and ASEAN-UK relations from 2024 to 2027, Sơn pledged to actively promote these partnerships.
Key Regional Issues and Priorities
Addressing global and regional challenges, Sơn expressed hope for stability in Myanmar and reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to collaborating with ASEAN to implement the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) and other decisions on Myanmar.
On the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, Sơn reiterated Vietnam’s principled stance, calling for unity within ASEAN and adherence to international law. He highlighted the need to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and advance negotiations on a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC), in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Bilateral Engagements
On the sidelines of the retreat, Sơn held discussions with his Malaysian counterpart, Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan. Both officials pledged to advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between their countries, emphasizing energy transition and digital transformation as key priorities. They also agreed to expedite preparations for the 8th Việt Nam-Malaysia Joint Committee meeting to ensure the timely implementation of existing cooperation agreements.
Separately, Sơn met with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. The two ministers expressed satisfaction with the robust development of the Việt Nam-Singapore Strategic Partnership, particularly in areas like economic connectivity, education, finance, and digital transformation. They emphasized the importance of implementing agreements on the green economy-digital economy partnership and economic connectivity.
The meetings underscored Vietnam’s commitment to fostering close collaboration with ASEAN member states to address shared challenges and achieve sustainable development in the region.
Support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship
Vietnam and its ASEAN partners pledged full support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025. Collaborative measures were discussed to strengthen the bloc’s solidarity, promote sustainable development, and advance regional initiatives, including power grid connectivity.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat set the stage for deeper cooperation and alignment of priorities among member states as ASEAN embarks on a new chapter under Malaysia’s leadership.
