ASEAN must shape its future, not just adapt, says Vietnamese PM

Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to move beyond passive adaptation and take an active role in shaping its own future and global trends. Speaking at the opening of the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) in Hanoi, Hưng stressed the need for the bloc to define its trajectory in the 21st century.

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The question posed to us today is not just how ASEAN will adapt, but how ASEAN will shape its own future in the 21st century?

"The question posed to us today is not just how ASEAN will adapt, but how ASEAN will shape its own future in the 21st century?" Hưng declared, setting the stage for discussions on the bloc's evolving role. He highlighted ASEAN's 59-year history, noting that its greatest achievement lies not just in its population size or economic dynamism, but in its ability to overcome differences, build trust, and foster cooperation, resulting in a united and resilient community.

Hưng pointed out that while the past decades were about building ASEAN's identity, the coming decades will be about defining its future in a world where the fundamental rules of economics, technology, and global power are being rewritten. He specifically mentioned how technology is redefining competitiveness, artificial intelligence is reshaping productivity, data is transforming power dynamics, and green transitions are altering development models.

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In such a pivotal moment, advantage belongs not only to nations with vast resources but also to nations and regions capable of participating in shaping the new rules and standards of the era.

"In such a pivotal moment, advantage belongs not only to nations with vast resources but also to nations and regions capable of participating in shaping the new rules and standards of the era," Hưng asserted. He expressed Vietnam's belief that ASEAN must become a proactive entity, not just a recipient of global trends, but a driving force in shaping them. To achieve this, he proposed that ASEAN continue to leverage its core values of solidarity, self-reliance, and unity in diversity, but with more innovative approaches: consensus on values coupled with dynamic action, adherence to principles with innovative methods, and preservation of identity while actively creating opportunities in the new era.

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Vietnam believes that ASEAN must become a proactive entity, not just a recipient of global trends, but a driving force in shaping them.