On April 23, in Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and delivered a speech at the opening session of the ASEAN Future Forum. Below is the full text of the Prime Minister's address at the Forum's opening session.

"Excellency Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao People's

Democratic Republic - ASEAN Chair 2024!

Excellency Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN!

Distinguished Ministers, Delegates, and Honored Guests!

1. First of all, I would like to extend a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to all distinguished guests, especially Excellency Sonexay Siphandone, for attending the ASEAN Future Forum under the theme "Building a Fast-Growing, Sustainable, and People-Centered ASEAN Community."

The extensive participation of nearly 500 delegates representing governments, ambassadors, scholars, the business community, and representatives from ASEAN, partner countries, and international organizations demonstrates deep interest and positive support for this new initiative by Vietnam in our collective efforts to continue shaping the shared future of ASEAN and our region.

Discussing and planning for the future has become more urgent than ever against the backdrop that the world today stands at major turning points, underscored by three prominent strategic trends:

- First , the trend of increasingly fierce strategic competition and fragmentation across regions and nations is posing significant challenges to the environment of peace, solidarity, cooperation, and development at both regional and global levels.

- Second, the explosive development of emerging technologies and digitalization offers breakthrough development opportunities, while simultaneously carrying the risk of falling behind, particularly for developing and least developed countries.

- Third , the drive toward sustainable, inclusive development, the digital economy, green growth, and the circular economy presents both major opportunities and significant pressures, requiring us to adopt a new, global, people-centric, and comprehensive approach for long-term and sustainable interests.

2. In this context, after nearly six decades of establishment and development, it can be affirmed that ASEAN has never been in a better position than it is today, nor has it ever faced as many challenges as it does today.

- ASEAN serves as the core driver for dialogue, cooperation, and development, and the epicenter of numerous regional integration initiatives, yet it is also a focal point of intense strategic competition.

- ASEAN centrality is widely recognized, yet at times and in certain areas, it has not been truly effective.

- ASEAN is the world's 5th largest economy, yet development gaps remain substantial, and intra-bloc cooperation and connectivity are not yet truly close-knit.

These realities demand that ASEAN cultivate a strategic and comprehensive vision, enhance proactiveness and adaptability to seize opportunities, mitigate challenges, and achieve stable, sustainable development.

Distinguished Delegates and Honored Guests,

3. Throughout nearly three decades of ASEAN membership, Vietnam has always considered ASEAN one of the top priorities in its foreign, security, economic, and defense policies, exerting every effort toward a united, resilient ASEAN Community with an increasingly elevated role and standing both regionally and globally.

Vietnam's development path throughout its Doi Moi (renewal) and integration process has always been closely intertwined with ASEAN, yielding significant achievements across all fields through this close relationship. Vietnam's success affirms the correctness and strategic nature of the guidelines and policies of the Party and State of Vietnam in building three fundamental pillars: democracy, the rule of law, and the market economy: (1) Building socialist democracy; (2) Building a socialist law-governed State of the people, by the people, and for the people; (3) Developing a socialist-oriented market economy.

Concurrently, Vietnam focuses on implementing six key priorities: (i) A foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, and diversification—being a trustworthy friend and partner, and an active, responsible member of the international community; (ii) The "Four No's" defense policy; (iii) Building an independent, self-reliant economy closely linked with proactive, comprehensive, substantive, and effective international integration; (iv) Ensuring social progress and equity, while improving people's living standards; (v) Developing an advanced culture imbued with national identity, where "culture lights the way for the nation"; (vi) Intensifying the prevention and combat of corruption, negativity, and waste.

Vietnam's consistent viewpoint is: Placing people at the center, as the subject, the goal, the resource, and the driving force of development; and refusing to sacrifice social progress, equity, and the environment in mere pursuit of economic growth.

However, Vietnam also confronts numerous difficulties and challenges as a developing country with an economy in transition characterized by modest scale, high openness, and limited resilience against external shocks.

These are also common challenges facing many ASEAN member states on their development journeys; requiring unity, trust, concerted efforts, and consensus among all member states, alongside the cooperation and support of international partners and friends. We must collectively persist in pursuing a global, comprehensive, and people-centered approach so that our shared ASEAN home remains resilient under all circumstances and achieves rapid, sustainable development.

4. ASEAN is looking toward its 2045 objectives with the aspiration of a dynamic, cohesive, and resilient Community. To realize the ASEAN Vision 2045, I propose that we implement the following "Five Enhancements":

- First, strengthen solidarity, cooperation, and unity in diversity, while upholding ASEAN's spirit of independence, resilience, and strategic autonomy; promote ASEAN centrality while respecting differences and ensuring balanced interests; and remain steadfast on ASEAN's principled stance regarding regional and global security and development issues.

- Second, enhance strategic trust within ASEAN and in relations with partners, contributing to conflict prevention and maintaining an environment of peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.

- Third , accelerate digital transformation, green development, the circular economy, and the digital economy; foster innovation and entrepreneurship to create new and sustainable growth drivers for ASEAN in the period ahead, alongside revitalizing traditional growth drivers.

- Fourth, foster harmonious, sustainable, and inclusive development, placing the people at the center, as the subject, the driving force, the resource, and the objective of development; without sacrificing social progress, equity, and the environment for mere economic growth.

- Fifth , enhance the mobilization of all social resources to drive socio-economic development, especially through public-private partnerships; create strategic breakthroughs in institutions, human resources, infrastructure, and national governance to facilitate ASEAN's rapid and sustainable growth.

Distinguished Delegates and Honored Guests,

5. We are confident that ASEAN has been, is, and will continue to contribute ever more proactively and positively alongside the international community in shaping the future of the world.

"Tomorrow begins today" — Vietnam will redouble its efforts, working alongside nations, partners, and international friends—especially ASEAN member states—to jointly write further success stories, ushering in a future of unity in diversity, making positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development across the region and the globe, placing people at the center and as the subject of development, and leaving no one behind.

I wish the ASEAN Future Forum great success!

Thank you very much./."

Source: Government Portal