Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, along with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and US President Donald Trump, on October 25 (local time) attended the 13th ASEAN-US Summit as part of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
At the ASEAN-US Summit, the participants reached consencus that ASEAN-US relations continue to develop strongly, comprehensively, and effectively across various fields, with two-way trade reached over $453 billion in 2024, accounting for 11.8% of ASEAN's total foreign trade turnover.
The US is currently ASEAN's second-largest trading partner and the largest source of foreign direct investment into the bloc.
Notably, ASEAN and the US have completed the 2021-2025 Action Plan with numerous cooperation programs and projects in areas such as political-security, combating transnational crime, maritime security, trade, investment, transportation, agriculture, science and technology, and more. The US has also supported ASEAN in completing the study for the new generation ASEAN Single Window mechanism (ASW 2.0) and will continue to provide technical assistance in operating this system.
The ASEAN member countries and the U.S. affirmed their commitment to effectively implementing cooperation commitments, programs, and initiatives to further deepen the ASEAN-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They will focus on strategic cooperation areas such as high-quality trade and investment, finance, infrastructure connectivity, digital economy, energy, ensuring a healthy cybersecurity environment, among others, for a peaceful, secure, stable, and prosperous region.
Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Chinh highly appreciated President Trump's diplomatic efforts in promoting dialogue processes and the peaceful resolution of conflicts worldwide, especially in working with this year's ASEAN Chair, Malaysia, and other ASEAN member states to support Cambodia and Thailand in dialogue and negotiation to sign a Joint Statement between the two sides.
Evaluating the US as one of ASEAN's most comprehensive Strategic Partners with strong commitments to enhancing bilateral cooperation, the PM proposed four major orientations to foster strong, substantive, and effective ASEAN-US cooperation in the coming period. Specifically:
The two sides should promote economic, trade, and investment connectivity, working towards a balanced, harmonious, and sustainable trade relationship; Intensify cooperation in digital transformation, innovation, and energy security, including energy infrastructure connectivity and peaceful nuclear energy cooperation; Strengthen cybersecurity and combat transnational crime, where the US initiative on combating online fraud and Vietnam's initiative on improving the effectiveness of apprehending wanted criminals serve as a basis for ASEAN and the US to boost cooperation in this area; Enhance cooperation to maintain regional peace, security, and stability.
The Prime Minister emphasized that ASEAN and the US share interests and responsibilities in maintaining peace, stability, security, and development in the region, including the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), for the benefit of all nations and peoples in the region. He also reiterated ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea, including the peaceful resolution of disputes based on international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
US President Donald Trump, for his part, affirmed that Southeast Asia holds a vital position in US policy in the Indo-Pacific, and the US will continue to be a partner and friend to the countries in the region.
The US wishes to further deepen its partnership with ASEAN, not only in economics, trade, energy, technology, artificial intelligence (AI), but also for the goals of peace, stability, and prosperity for all countries in the region, for the benefit of their people and future generations.
The summit adopted the ASEAN-United States Leaders’ Joint Vision Statement to Promote Stronger, Safer, and More Prosperous ASEAN and America, which reaffirms both sides’ commitment to strengthening cooperation and maintaining regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
Google translate