HCMC – Vietnam will host the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 under the theme “Building a United, Inclusive, and Resilient ASEAN amidst Global Transformations.” The forum will take place in Hanoi from February 25 to 26.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son announced the information during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Malaysia on January 19, according to the Government news website.
The forum aims to foster extensive discussions among officials, experts, scholars, and diverse groups to generate innovative policy ideas and recommendations for ASEAN’s growth, integration, and cooperation.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan, marked the first significant activity under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship.
The event was attended by foreign ministers from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretary-General, and Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister as an observer. Vietnam’s delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
Malaysia introduced the theme for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” underscoring its commitment to fostering resilience, sustainable development, and inclusiveness.
Speaking at the retreat, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son emphasized the importance of strengthening ASEAN’s external relations and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with new partners. As coordinator for ASEAN-New Zealand and ASEAN-UK relations (2024-2027), Vietnam pledged to actively contribute to promoting broader collaboration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs leadership reiterated the need to maintain ASEAN unity and its principled stance. Vietnam reaffirmed its commitment to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and to advancing meaningful and effective negotiations on the Code of Conduct in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
