Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation on March 10 visited the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia.

ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn and his spouse, the leadership of the ASEAN Secretariat, as well as ambassadors and permanent representatives of ASEAN member states welcomed General Secretary To Lam, his spouse, and the Vietnamese delegation.

Following the official welcome ceremony, the general secretary planted a commemorative tree in the Secretariat’s compound and presented a painting to be displayed in the ASEAN Secretariat’s traditional exhibition room. This artwork is Vietnam’s seventh contribution among a total of 142 pieces gifted by leaders of ASEAN member states and partners.

During a working session with ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), General Secretary To Lam affirmed that Vietnam has always valued and contributed its utmost to ASEAN’s development over the past 30 years in pursuit of the bloc’s overarching goals. Drawing from its own experiences, Vietnam will continue to support the regional group’s common development and takes pride in both the bloc’s contributions to the world and its steady growth.

Agreeing with the key directions outlined by Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, the Vietnamese Party leader emphasized that ASEAN must remain a united and cohesive bloc. Only through unity can ASEAN overcome challenges in today’s complex global landscape. He also stressed that bilateral cooperation among ASEAN member states must serve the broader development and combined strength of the bloc.

To Lam noted his appreciation for the ASEAN Secretariat’s role in backing cooperation within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners. He also acknowledged the contributions of successive ASEAN secretaries-general and recognized the pivotal role played by ambassadors and members of the CPR in advancing cooperative initiatives, enhancing intra-bloc connectivity and ASEAN’s external partnerships.

He called on the CPR and the ASEAN Secretariat to continue working hand in hand with member states to realize the ASEAN Vision 2025 and successfully implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 along with its strategic plans.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn warmly welcomed General Secretary To Lam and described his visit, the first by a general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam to the ASEAN Secretariat as a historic milestone. He said the visit underscores ASEAN’s importance in Vietnam’s foreign policy, particularly as 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN (1995-2025) and the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN Community (2015-2025).

The ASEAN chief applauded Vietnam’s tremendous contributions to ASEAN and the ASEAN Community and expressed hope that Vietnam will continue to play a leading role in the bloc.

On behalf of the CPR, Malaysia’s permanent representative to ASEAN reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to reinforcing unity among ASEAN member states, building a resilient ASEAN Community, and contributing to regional peace, stability, security, and development.

General Secretary To Lam’s visit to the ASEAN Secretariat demonstrates Vietnam’s strong strategic commitment to ASEAN and reaffirms that ASEAN remains a top priority in Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era.

ASEAN Future Forum 2025: Strengthening unity and strategic autonomy

VOV.VN - The high-level plenary session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 on February 26 focused on ASEAN’s future, strategic autonomy, economic sustainability, and regional cooperation, with the participation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta.