At his meeting with Brunei’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Prime Minister Hung proposed effectively implementing the 2023–2027 Action Programme under the Comprehensive Partnership framework, while maintaining high-level exchanges and strengthening economic and trade ties. He also suggested studying the establishment of a joint trade cooperation mechanism and enhancing cooperation in fisheries and maritime sectors.

The Brunei Sultan expressed support for Vietnam’s successful organisation of APEC 2027 and stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in trade and energy amid regional and global volatility. He also invited Prime Minister Hung to visit Brunei at a convenient time.

During another meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., both sides highlighted 2026 as a milestone year marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Hung reaffirmed support for the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026 and emphasised the importance of strengthening ASEAN solidarity, unity and centrality.

The two leaders agreed to intensify high-level exchanges, facilitate trade and work toward raising bilateral trade turnover to US$10 billion. They also identified food security, energy security, marine scientific research, tourism and education cooperation as priority areas for future collaboration.

Both sides agreed to accelerate negotiations on an education cooperation agreement and a tourism cooperation programme for 2026–2029.

On regional issues, the two leaders reiterated support for maintaining peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the East Sea, while backing efforts by ASEAN and China to negotiate an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) consistent with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Meeting with Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung congratulated Timor-Leste on attending the ASEAN Summit for the first time as a full member and reaffirmed support for its deeper integration into regional cooperation mechanisms.

Prime Minister Gusmão thanked Vietnam for its longstanding support for Timor-Leste’s development and ASEAN accession process. He also praised Viettel’s Telemor telecommunications project as a symbol of effective bilateral cooperation contributing to socio-economic development in Timor-Leste.

Both leaders agreed to further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, telecommunications, digital technology, energy, oil and gas, fisheries and food processing. Prime Minister Hung also told his Timor-Leste counterpart that Vietnam stands ready to share experience in economic development and policies supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.

At another meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining close political trust and comprehensive cooperation between the two neighboring countries. They noted that bilateral ties have continued to develop substantively, highlighted by frequent high-level exchanges and growing economic cooperation.

Both sides described defence and security cooperation as a key pillar of bilateral relations and welcomed the continued growth of two-way trade, which reached nearly US$3.5 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 6.5% year on year.

The two leaders agreed to step up people-to-people exchanges, effectively implement bilateral agreements and strengthen coordination against transnational crime and non-traditional security threats. They also agreed to accelerate work on a new economic cooperation mechanism linking the two economies through 2035 with a vision to 2050, including plans for expressway connectivity linking Ho Chi Minh City, Moc Bai, Bavet and Phnom Penh.

The two sides vowed to maintain a peaceful, stable and cooperative border, continuing negotiations on the remaining 16% of border demarcation work and coordinating border management in accordance with international law and mutual respect.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung also thanked Cambodia for supporting the Vietnamese-origin community living in the country and called for continued favourable conditions for them to live, work and study legally.

At the meetings, ASEAN leaders shared views on regional and international developments and stressed the importance of strengthening coordination within ASEAN and the United Nations, alongside maintaining ASEAN’s central role in addressing regional challenges.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister also invited the ASEAN leaders to attend and speak at the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF), scheduled to take place in Hanoi in early June 2026.

PM Le Minh Hung arrives in Philippines for 48th ASEAN Summit

VOV.VN - Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung arrived in Cebu, the Philippines on May 7 to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit and related meetings at the invitation of Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., Chair of ASEAN 2026.