To Lam delivered the speech during his visit to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 10, where he attended a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN.

Attending the ceremony, Australian Ambassador to ASEAN Tiffany McDonald lauded Vietnam’s role in strengthening ASEAN’s significance in the region over the past 30 years.

General Secretary To Lam’s policy speech presents a vision for ASEAN with Vietnam as a key member, and Australia fully supports this vision, as well as ASEAN’s leadership in the region, and ASEAN – Australia partnership for a future of peace and prosperity, as reaffirmed at last year’s ASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit, she noted.

McDonald echoed To Lam’s emphasis on ASEAN’s role in promoting shared interests and noted Australia’s longstanding commitment to ASEAN, dating back to its status as ASEAN’s first dialogue partner in 1974 and its recent elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

She reaffirmed Australia’s commitment to working with ASEAN and Vietnam to realize a common vision for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous future, while acknowledging Vietnam’s key role, particularly its initiative in hosting the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 last month, which provided a timely platform for regional discussions.

The Australian Ambassador voiced Australia’s support for ASEAN’s central role in maintaining regional peace, stability, and prosperity, and affirmed that Australia is honoured to stand alongside Vietnam, recognizing its significant contributions to ASEAN community building efforts over the past 30 years.

Similarly, Indonesian Ambassador to ASEAN Dery Aman lauded General Secretary To Lam’s profound and forward-looking speech, noting that his visit to the ASEAN Secretariat reaffirmed Vietnam’s strong commitment to ASEAN’s solidarity and a shared vision for regional stability and prosperity.

General Secretary To Lam’s visit highlights ASEAN’s close-knit and enduring relationships, and Indonesia remains committed to supporting ASEAN, its Secretariat, and its collective mission to strengthen the bloc’s global role and ensure a future of solidarity, peace, and prosperity, said Aman.

Meanwhile, Nobuhiro Aizawa, executive director of the ERIA School of Government, highlighted the urgency of strengthening ASEAN and regional cooperation in the present-day shifting geopolitical landscape. He stressed that Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN 30 years ago was a turning point for regional unity and solidarity, and General Secretary To Lam’s speech heralds a new phase of regional integration.

According to the director, each era has its own mission, but ASEAN continues to draw profound inspiration from both Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh and General Secretary To Lam. Acknowledging the Vietnamese leader’s role in encouraging collective efforts to shape the world amid significant changes, Aizawa expressed hope that To Lam would revisit Jakarta and other ASEAN countries to serve as an advisor.

Party leader attends ceremony marking Vietnam’s 30 years of ASEAN membership

VOV.VN - General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam attended and delivered a keynote policy speech at a ceremony celebrating the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 10, as part of his official visit to the ASEAN Secretariat.