The 30-year journey is a vivid testament to Viet Nam’s strong and deep integration aspirations, along with its pioneering, responsible and proactive spirit for a united and self-reliant ASEAN Community.
The past thirty years of engagement with ASEAN have left a profound imprint of Viet Nam, with many important and practical contributions. Looking back on this journey, Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong, Head of Viet Nam’s Permanent Mission to ASEAN, emphasised that with the spirit of gradually learning, adapting, and participating with a proactive, positive and responsible attitude, Viet Nam has risen with other member countries to contribute to orienting ASEAN’s development path and shaping its cooperation processes.
Viet Nam not only listens but also connects; not only accompanies but also contributes to reconciling differences among member countries and between ASEAN and its partners, thereby contributing to maintaining solidarity, unity, and consolidating the association's central role in a turbulent world.
A strong landmark on the 30-year journey
Viet Nam officially joined ASEAN in 1995, but the regional integration process had been initiated many years before that with memorable milestones, such as joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), becoming an observer of ASEAN in 1992, and attending the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM). In July 1994, Viet Nam attended the first meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and became one of the founding members of the forum.
Joining ASEAN has not only been an important step in regional and international integration, it has also been closely linked to the process of renewing Viet Nam's foreign policy thinking. This is also a milestone in the journey of strengthening cooperation and friendship with neighbouring countries in the region, especially ASEAN member countries — which is a top priority in Viet Nam's foreign policy.
After a period of arduous war and political and economic isolation in the 1980s, Viet Nam's accession to ASEAN was the first and important step to break the siege and gradually integrate into the region and the world. ASEAN has opened the door for Viet Nam to build a peaceful and stable environment for socio-economic development, protect national sovereignty and security, promote international integration, and enhance its position in the international arena.
Currently, ASEAN is Viet Nam's fourth largest export partner and third largest import partner. Participation in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) between ASEAN and major partners is a lever for Viet Nam to become an important link in regional and global economic linkages. People also benefit from the association's cooperation programs in education, health, social welfare, labour, employment, culture, and sports. The above achievements have significantly contributed to Viet Nam’s comprehensive development over the past 30 years.
For ASEAN, Viet Nam's participation is a major turning point in the association’s formation and development process, contributing to realising the vision of ASEAN's founders to unite member countries with the aspiration for peace, prosperity, and the spirit of solidarity and mutual understanding.
Overcoming initial confusion and caution, Viet Nam has participated extensively in all areas of ASEAN cooperation under the motto of "proactive, active, and responsible", thereby making important contributions to ASEAN’s maturity and growth. With Viet Nam's active efforts, the ASEAN-10 idea of gathering all member countries in Southeast Asia was completed in 1999.
According to Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong, from here, ASEAN has taken a new position; countries have put aside barriers, joined hands to cooperate, and expanded relations with the outside, making ASEAN a nucleus in the dialogue and cooperation processes in the region.
The rotating obligations in ASEAN have been excellently completed by Viet Nam. Accordingly, as the host country of the 6th ASEAN Summit (1998) just three years after joining ASEAN, Viet Nam, together with member countries, helped ASEAN overcome the challenges of the economic-financial crisis in 1997, through the Ha Noi Action Plan, maintaining the momentum of regional cooperation and connectivity, realising the ASEAN Vision 2020. In fulfilling the important responsibilities assigned by ASEAN, such as the Chairmanship of the 34th ASEAN Standing Committee and the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2010 and 2020, Viet Nam has achieved proud achievements.
Notably, as ASEAN Chair in 2020, Viet Nam quickly and flexibly promoted ASEAN's effective approach to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, proposing many important initiatives such as Covid-19 ASEAN Response Fund, ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies (RRMS), ASEAN Strategic Framework for Public Health Emergencies, ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, and the Implementation Plan. Overcoming all challenges, Viet Nam successfully promoted its leading role, bringing the ASEAN ship safely through the storm, helping the association sail forward.
Dato' Tan Yang Thai, Ambassador of Malaysia (the country holding the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025) to Viet Nam, commented that as one of the most dynamic economies in ASEAN, Viet Nam has contributed to enhancing ASEAN's global trade position, by playing a key role in ratifying and implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), promoting intra-bloc trade; and actively supporting ASEAN's economic integration goals, including narrowing the development gap through initiatives such as the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and Mekong sub-regional cooperation frameworks.
The ambassador said that from a newly joining member country, after 30 years of hard work, Viet Nam is now a trustworthy member, making constructive contributions to the consensus of the "common house".
Shaping a bright future
As a region where geopolitical and geo-economic interests intersect, ASEAN is facing increasing pressure from strategic competition among major countries, negative impacts from climate change and pandemics. In that context, strengthening solidarity, promoting a strong common voice, and remaining steadfast on the path of “dialogue instead of confrontation, and unity instead of division” are the key for the region to overcome challenges.
At the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-58) held in July 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that, overcoming a difficult journey, ASEAN has protected peace and developed prosperity in a way that few regions can. To do this, ASEAN has “cultivated” the habit of cooperation to overcome challenges.
The reality proves that amid a chaotic and tense world, with bloody conflicts in the Middle East or ongoing clashes in Ukraine, ASEAN’s solidarity spirit and mutual respect shines even brighter. As Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son once affirmed, ASEAN plays the role of "a beacon of peace".
Looking back on the past, it can be seen that joining ASEAN is a correct, timely decision, with important historical and strategic significance of the Vietnamese Party and State. In the coming time, contributing to ASEAN development continues to be one of the strategic priorities of Viet Nam's multilateral diplomacy.
Ambassador Ton Thi Ngoc Huong said that, based on the achievements, Viet Nam will continue to think proactively, act responsibly, and actively contribute to strengthening solidarity and unity, upholding fundamental principles, maintaining ASEAN's central role, expanding and deepening relations with partners, and enhancing ASEAN's self-reliance, resilience, and adaptability in a changing regional and international environment.
Viet Nam's top priority is to work with member countries to successfully implement the goals of building a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN Community, as set out in the ASEAN Vision 2045.
