At the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with the United States in Manila, Vietnam called for enhanced collaboration between ASEAN and the US in areas such as trade, artificial intelligence, digital technology, and energy transition. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung highlighted the importance of these sectors and urged for a swift finalization of a new comprehensive work program to bolster their partnership. Trung acknowledged Washington’s commitment to the region’s peace, stability, and development, and suggested expanding ties in trade, investment, the digital economy, and semiconductors, among other fields.
Trung also emphasized the necessity for continued US support in the Mekong sub-region, particularly in water management, climate change adaptation, infrastructure development, and workforce training. On regional security, he stressed the significance of maintaining peace and resolving disputes through dialogue and adherence to international law. In particular, Trung welcomed US backing of ASEAN’s stance on the South China Sea and called for Washington’s assistance in reinforcing an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional order centered around ASEAN.
Addressing international concerns, Trung advocated for increased dialogue in the Middle East and the re-establishment of secure maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation based on international law. This statement comes amid growing global attention to the stability of these critical sea passages.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ support for ASEAN, recognizing Southeast Asia as an area of substantial strategic and economic interest. He committed to continued US investment in supply chains, the digital economy, energy security, power-grid connectivity, and civil nuclear cooperation. Rubio’s statements highlight the US’s strategic focus on strengthening ties with Southeast Asia, a region of growing economic significance.
Both ASEAN and the United States agreed to deepen their economic relations, expand cooperation in high-value industries, and strengthen people-to-people exchanges. They also pledged to improve coordination in addressing shared challenges, including terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and online scams. This mutual commitment reflects a shared vision for a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, reinforcing the importance of their collaboration on regional and global challenges.