A thematic session entitled “Repositioning Viet Nam and ASEAN in Global Value Chains” was held on October 27 as part of the Autumn Economic Forum 2026, organised by the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee in co-branding with the World Economic Forum.

Facing challenges from climate change, biodiversity loss, rising food demand, and price fluctuations, ASEAN is actively implementing its Vision for Food, Agriculture and Forestry towards 2045 and the relevant 2026–2030 action plan to build food systems that are sustainable, inclusive and resilient, said Ambassador Do Hung Viet.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) held a hybrid seminar themed “ASEAN Community Vision 2045: From regional commitments to development opportunities for localities” in Ha Noi on October 8.

ASEAN is a geographically favourable market with considerable room for Viet Nam to expand its agricultural exports. However, as countries in the region raise their import standards, Vietnamese businesses need to better meet requirements on quality, traceability, and product certification, while participating more deeply in regional value chains in order to maintain their market share.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung hosted a reception in Ha Noi on September 30 for heads of delegations from ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Secretariat attending the ASEAN Law Enforcement High-level Conference on Cooperation in Combating Criminal Fugitives.

Senior law enforcement officials from ASEAN member states on September 30 adopted a joint declaration reaffirming their strong political commitment to strengthening regional cooperation in combating fugitive criminals.

Viet Nam maintains its strong presence at the 23rd China – ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), which officially opened in Nanning, China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on September 17, with a total exhibition area of more than 2,000 square metres for 120 businesses and units.

The Pinglu Canal, a key project along China's New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, has officially been completed and put into operation, providing the shortest, most cost-effective and convenient route to the sea towards connecting southwestern China with ASEAN.

Over more than half a century, Viet Nam-Singapore relations have become the most successful model of cooperation in ASEAN and are currently entering a broader and deeper development stage.

A friendship exchange programme featuring traditional music, costumes, dances, and cuisine from Viet Nam and other Southeast Asian countries was held in Ha Noi on August 19, highlighting the region’s rich cultural diversity and promoting people-to-people ties.

As the transition to a digital environment gathers pace, the authentication of identities, documents, and data has become a prerequisite for promoting cross-border trade. Alongside connectivity and data infrastructure, digital transactions require an independent and rapid verification mechanism that ensures trust between parties.

Canadian government agencies, experts, and businesses are seeking opportunities to expand trade, investment, and agricultural technology cooperation with Viet Nam amid growing demand for market diversification and sustainable agricultural supply chains, viewing the country as an important market and a gateway to Southeast Asia.

Amid geopolitical and international trade uncertainties, ASEAN and Canada are expanding cooperation under their Strategic Partnership, with a focus on trade, market diversification, technology and clean energy, and Viet Nam is seen as well-positioned to play a positive role.

The fourth edition of the ASEAN Film Festival (AFF) will take place in Hong Kong (China) from August 20, with Vietnamese cinema represented by the film “The Sound of Crossing the Sea”.

Viet Nam will continue to serve as a positive factor in helping shape major strategic shifts and the future development of ASEAN, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung has affirmed.

Since joining ASEAN in 1995, Viet Nam has consistently regarded the bloc as a cornerstone of its foreign policy, actively engaging in all three ASEAN Community pillars and cooperation mechanisms.

The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) on August 7 held a gathering to celebrate the 59th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (August 8, 1967–2026), highlighting friendship and solidarity among the people of ASEAN member states.

Viet Nam is not only an active and responsible member of ASEAN but also a long-standing friend and trusted partner of Australia and New Zealand. This optimally positions the country to act as a bridge between the two Pacific nations and ASEAN, with the shared goal of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity across the region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung said ASEAN has grown from a historic decision to replace division with dialogue and confrontation with cooperation into a community of peace, progress, and shared prosperity, with an economy worth 3.9 trillion USD and a population of nearly 700 million.

ASEAN member states, including Viet Nam, serve as models for Pakistan to learn from in its successful transition from an impoverished, agriculture-based country to a dynamic industrialised economy.