Thirty-one years ago, on July 28, 1995, Viet Nam formally acceded to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), marking a historic milestone in the country’s development and international integration.

The ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) is a visionary initiative of Viet Nam that provides a valuable platform for collective reflection on the region’s future while demonstrating the country’s active role and responsibility in shaping discussions on regional development, according to a Cambodian expert.

“The Davos of ASEAN” — that is how some journalists and international scholars have playfully described the ASEAN Future Forum 2026, recently held in Ha Noi. Going far beyond the scope of a diplomatic initiative, the ASEAN Future Forum has evolved into a genuine regional strategic platform, where long-term challenges are debated and where future norms, standards and international rules are shaped.

Viet Nam considers the US one of its most important partners, welcomes and creates favourable conditions for US businesses to invest and operate in the country.

Viet Nam and Timor-Leste possess substantial potential and complementary strengths to broaden cooperation for the benefit of their people and to contribute to a stable, resilient and sustainable region.

ASEAN must continuously enhance its adaptability, resilience and strategic autonomy as it faces mounting challenges. In the immediate term, it should realise commitments under the Declaration on Responding to the Middle East crisis adopted at the 48th ASEAN Summit in May 2026.

The ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 continued on June 10 with three discussion sessions focusing on ASEAN–US cooperation, solutions to ensure energy security and accelerate the green transition in the region, and the identification of new development models amid global transformation.

Domestic and foreign policymakers, scholars and experts gathered for the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 in Ha Noi on June 9, when three plenary sessions and one panel discussion put the bloc’s resilience and unity under debate.

The leaders of the two countries exchanged views and agreed on extremely important contents for bilateral cooperation in the coming period, including concretising the content of the strategic cohesion between Viet Nam and Laos in all fields; and continuing efforts to cooperate closely to increase bilateral trade to 10 billion USD in the next five years.

NA Chairman Man praised the initiative to convene the ASEAN City Leaders Conference, describing it as a significant step in recognising the increasingly important role of cities in building the ASEAN community.

During PM Hun Manet's visit, the Vietnamese and Cambodian leaders exchanged views and outlined directions and measures to promote cooperation in all fields, especially in comprehensive connectivity between the two countries.

The ASEAN Future Forum 2026 carries special significance. Its theme not only reflects the core values that define ASEAN, but also points to the direction our Association should take in the years ahead.

Discussing future cooperation, the Vietnamese leader called for stronger political trust, expanded collaboration in economic affairs, defence-security and people-to-people exchanges, and more frequent high-level contacts.

Deputy PM Nguyen Van Thang proposed a shared vision for an ASEAN fintech ecosystem that is open, secure, transparent, inclusive, and sustainable: “Open” to foster connectivity, “Secure” to enable growth, “Transparent” to build trust, “Inclusive” to ensure that no one is left behind, and “Sustainable” to strengthen resilience and support long-term progress.

The opening session of the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 took place on June 9 in Ha Noi, featuring a keynote address by Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, alongside remarks from leaders of ASEAN member states, senior United Nations officials and recorded messages from foreign ministers.

Defence cooperation continues to serve as a key pillar of the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Viet Nam and Laos, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang.

The third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) officially opened in Ha Noi on June 9. Held in 2026, the third AFF carries special significance for ASEAN.

In his welcoming remarks, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said Viet Nam established the forum with the aim of creating an open, substantive and forward-looking space for dialogue among ASEAN member states and international partners.

A series of side events held in Ha Noi on June 8 within the framework of the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 focused on the strategic role of the Mekong subregion and the contribution of young people as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) works towards realising the its Community Vision 2045.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung hosted a welcome ceremony in Ha Noi on June 8 for his Thai counterpart Anutin Charnvirakul, who is in Viet Nam for an official visit and participation in the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF), scheduled for June 8–9.