HCMC – Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has proposed three strategic priorities for ASEAN as the bloc works toward realizing its 2045 Community Vision, calling on Southeast Asia to take a more proactive role in shaping the global order, become a center for innovation, and build a people-centered community in the digital age.
Speaking at the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 in Hanoi, he said ASEAN should move beyond merely responding to global trends and instead help shape emerging economic, technological, and governance frameworks.
At a time when the rules governing the global economy and technology are being redefined, he outlined three key directions for the region’s future development.
First, ASEAN should evolve from a recipient of global trends into an active contributor to the formation of new norms, rules, and cooperation mechanisms grounded in international law. Such a role would enable the bloc to serve as a platform for dialogue and a source of trust in an increasingly fragmented world, he said.
Second, the prime minister stressed that traditional manufacturing advantages alone would no longer be sufficient in the digital era. ASEAN, he said, should transition from being a consumer of technology to a creator of technology, and from a link in global supply chains to a center for value creation.
To achieve this, member states should invest more heavily in science and technology, the digital economy, and high-quality human resources while building a regional technology ecosystem with its own distinctive strengths.
Third, he emphasized that economic growth must ultimately improve quality of life and promote inclusiveness. A successful ASEAN community, he said, should create opportunities for young people, women, and vulnerable groups, ensuring that citizens genuinely feel they are part of the regional bloc.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2026 opened in Hanoi on June 9 and will run through June 10. It is the largest high-level multilateral event hosted by Vietnam this year, drawing more than 600 participants, including government leaders from Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, as well as representatives of international organizations and businesses.
Since its launch by Vietnam in 2023, the ASEAN Future Forum has emerged as a valuable complement to ASEAN’s formal processes. Ideas generated through the forum have gone beyond academic discussion and have been reflected in ASEAN Summit documents.
Reaffirming that Vietnam’s future is closely linked to that of ASEAN, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung pledged that Vietnam would continue working alongside the bloc in pursuit of a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous region.
