The 27th ASEAN-Japan Summit. Photo: VOV

At the 27th ASEAN-Japan Summit, PM Chinh said economic, trade, and investment cooperation should be the key focus of bilateral ties. He encouraged Japanese businesses to invest more in ASEAN and called on Japan to increase assistance for ASEAN firms engaged in its businesses’ supply chains, develop supporting industries, and foster a skilled workforce. Mr. Chinh said new growth drivers are needed, such as digital transformation, semiconductors, cloud computing, Internet of Things, energy transition, the green economy, the circular economy, and smart agriculture.

Addressing the 27th ASEAN+3 Summit, PM Chinh outlined three key orientations for cooperation: connecting supply chains; leveraging new growth drivers like innovation, digital transformation, and green transition, and emerging sectors like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things; and increasing resilience against natural disasters and climate change.

At the 4th ASEAN-Australia Summit, PM Chinh called on ASEAN and Australia to continue working closely to build their future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership. The PM underscored the need for both sides to cooperate to create breakthroughs in economics, trade, and investment, and promote new growth drivers like science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation. He  called on ASEAN and Australia to support each another in realizing their sustainable development goals by expanding their cooperation in energy transition, green transition, environmental protection, emissions reduction, and climate change response.

At the 21st ASEAN-India Summit, PM Chinh emphasized that ASEAN and India need to make breakthrough progress in economic, trade, and investment ties. He called for expanding partnerships in science, technology, and innovation, particularly in core technology, semiconductors, the digital economy, and training high-quality human resources for cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. The PM urged India to continue its cooperation and assistance in implementing the Mekong-Ganga cooperation framework. The Summit leaders adopted a statement on enhancing the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for regional peace, stability, and prosperity, along with a joint statement on promoting digital transformation.

At the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience, PM Chinh said ASEAN and Canada need to prioritize enhancing trade and investment connectivity and complete negotiations on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement in 2025. He urged Canada to step up cooperation in improving resilience to climate change and support ASEAN countries, especially the Mekong sub-region, and in energy transition, environmental protection, climate change response, emissions reduction, and sustainable development. Canada should also help ASEAN develop a digital economy, a green economy, a circular economy, and cybersecurity. At the conclusion of the Summit, ASEAN and Canada adopted a Joint Statement on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience.

At the Summits, the Vietnamese Prime Minister emphasized the importance of respecting and upholding international law, the United Nations Charter, and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as frank dialogue, sincere cooperation, mutual trust and respect; resolving all disputes by peaceful means; joining hands to respond to global challenges; and jointly shaping an open, inclusive, and transparent regional structure.