At the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with the United States in Manila, Vietnam advocated for enhanced cooperation between ASEAN and the US in key sectors such as trade, artificial intelligence, digital technology, and energy transition. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung expressed support for Washington’s commitment to peace, stability, and development in the region and emphasized the need for both parties to swiftly finalize a new comprehensive work program.
Trung suggested expanding collaborations in pivotal areas, including trade and investment, the digital economy, semiconductors, science and technology, and regional energy connectivity. He also highlighted the necessity for continued US backing in the Mekong sub-region, particularly in water management, climate change adaptation, infrastructure development, and workforce training. On regional security, Trung stressed the importance of maintaining peace and resolving disputes through dialogue and adherence to international law. He welcomed US support for ASEAN’s stance on the South China Sea and urged efforts to bolster an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional order centered on ASEAN.
Additionally, Trung addressed developments in the Middle East, advocating for increased dialogue and the restoration of safe maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz. He underscored the significance of protecting freedom of navigation in accordance with international law. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s support for ASEAN, recognizing Southeast Asia as a region of substantial strategic and economic importance. Rubio committed to continued US investment in supply chains, the digital economy, energy security, power-grid connectivity, and civil nuclear cooperation.
Both ASEAN and the United States agreed to deepen economic ties and expand cooperation in high-value industries. They also committed to strengthening people-to-people exchanges and enhancing coordination to tackle challenges such as terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and online scams. These discussions signal a mutual interest in fostering a more robust partnership between ASEAN and the United States, with a focus on shared strategic and economic goals.