Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during the welcoming ceremony on June 8 – Photo: NGUYEN KHANH
When these events are placed side by side, this series of activities clearly demonstrates one thing: the voice of Vietnam within ASEAN becomes stronger, more substantive and is accompanied by a new approach to foreign policy – proactively shaping rather than simply participating, linking national interests to regional interests and increasing its influence through flexibility in principle.
This is a very valuable initiative by Vietnam, launched at a crucial time for the region and the world. Vietnam is asserting itself as a major player within ASEAN.
Jaya Ratnam, former Singaporean ambassador to Vietnam
Vietnam’s reputation
In regional diplomacy, such a frequency of high-level contacts is rarely purely ceremonial. It testifies to the importance that countries attach to Vietnam and demonstrates that Hanoi is asserting itself as a major strategic trade hub in Southeast Asia. In other words, it is not just a busy week diplomatically, but a sign of Vietnam’s new role within ASEAN.
According to observers, the successive visit of four ASEAN leaders to Hanoi has had a significant positive impact on Vietnam’s prestige.
For Laos and Cambodia, this is a logical continuation of close good neighborly relations and increasingly close strategic coordination mechanisms.
Pour the Thaïlande this visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the trip focused on economic diplomacy.
For Timor-Leste, the presence of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão is not only of bilateral importance, but is also linked to the ASEAN integration process, which enjoys enthusiastic support from Vietnam.
On June 8, in Hanoi, as part of AFF 2026, not only the heads of government of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Timor-Leste, but also representatives of political parties from Southeast Asia met, for an unprecedented round table in the region.
As Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said in his opening speech at the seminar, the importance of this meeting lies not only in the fact that it is the first, but also in the fact that it takes place in a constantly evolving global and regional context, marked by a strong scale and considerable repercussions on all countries and all political parties.
To overcome challenges, maintain unity and strategic autonomy, ASEAN cooperation must not be limited to state, governmental and parliamentary channels, but must be strengthened from the very political foundations of each nation and political party.
This year’s AFF brings together the largest number of participating leaders and delegates since its inception in 2023, and on an unprecedented scale. The fact that a forum was chosen and invited by so many leaders speaks volumes: the host country not only has the capacity to organize such an event, but also the capacity to bring people together, set the agenda and lead the discussions.
As a Vietnamese diplomat said, in the language of international relations, this is a very valuable form of soft influence, which clearly demonstrates the importance of maintaining the principle that Vietnam is a reliable friend and partner to other countries.
According to Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III, Vietnam’s proposed theme for AFF 2026 resonates deeply with the theme of the Philippine ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2026, “Building a Shared Future Together.”
He affirmed that the discussions under the AFF 2026, focused on the future, are fully consistent with the issues currently being discussed by ASEAN.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet review the honor guard of the Vietnamese People’s Army – Photo: DANH KHANG
New position
Further back in time, just before the week of June 7-14, visits by the prime ministers of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Timor-Leste marked a dynamic period of high-level contacts between Vietnam and ASEAN countries.
From May 27 to June 1, Secretary General and President To Lam and his wife visited Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines . Thus, in less than two weeks, important Vietnamese leaders carried out high-level diplomatic activities with six of the eleven ASEAN member countries.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Data: T. Hien – Graphs: T. Anh
In terms of foreign policy, this is a continuation of Hanoi’s consistent emphasis on the role of ASEAN since its accession in 1995. Vietnam’s expansion of the concept of “neighboring countries” from countries sharing land borders to those sharing maritime borders is illustrated by Secretary General and President To Lam’s assertion in Manila on June 1 that Vietnam and the Philippines are “two maritime neighbors.”
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“Vietnam has made significant contributions to the evolution of ASEAN’s agenda on climate change, digital governance and economic connectivity. The pragmatism of his foreign policy – favoring dialogue and common development over confrontation – has earned him prestige both in Southeast Asia and abroad,” commented researcher James Borton (United States).
New data from the Asia Power Index 2025, published by the Lowy Institute (Australia), also reinforce this assessment.
Vietnam ranks 12th out of 27 countries in Asia in terms of overall power, but 8th in terms of diplomatic influence. It is considered a “mid-sized nation” that generates a higher level of influence, proportional to its available resources.
This report highlights that Vietnam knows how to transform its resources into impact much more effectively than many other “medium-sized countries”.
Clearly, Vietnam is not the largest country in ASEAN, but it is one of those that makes the most of its position.
A new study from Harvard University’s Belfer Center goes even further, describing Vietnam’s diplomatic strategy as “balance without alliances.”
According to this interpretation, Vietnam seeks strategic autonomy, develops its relations with numerous partners, integrates into multilateral frameworks and global economic and technological networks, but avoids finding itself obliged to choose a side between the great powers.
This approach allows Vietnam to preserve its strategic space while building the image of a nation capable of engaging with multiple parties and contributing to the resolution of common regional problems.
Proactive, responsible and confident
Looking at the series of bilateral and multilateral diplomatic events held in Hanoi this time, it is clear that Vietnamese diplomacy is proactive and confident, especially since diplomacy has been identified as a “key and ongoing task” in same title as defense and security during the 14th National Congress (January 2026).
As Minister Le Hoai Trung stated: Vietnam considers international integration not only as an important driver of development, but also as one of the main means of achieving the country’s strategic objectives.
“The mentality regarding international integration has evolved considerably, from ‘receiving to contributing’, from ‘deep and broad integration to full integration’, and from ‘the position of a country integrating late into the world’ to that of a ‘nation “pioneer, leader in new fields”, underlined Mr. Trung in an interview given at the end of the 14th National Congress.
* Mr. Pham Quang Vinh (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs):
Vietnam is actively contributing to shaping the future of ASEAN.
The ASEAN Future Forum, established in 2023, is one of the initiatives that best illustrates Vietnam’s proactive and constructive approach. This forum is based on the belief that in addition to government dialogue, the main channel of communication, ASEAN needs more spaces to hear open and diverse voices from different sectors.
What sets it apart is that, unlike regional forums which typically focus on a single geographic area, this is the first forum to be ASEAN-centric and address issues of peace, cooperation and development in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific. During its three editions, the forum has always attracted more than 500 delegates, including executives, business leaders and academics from the region and beyond.
This year’s ASEAN Futures Forum takes on particular significance as it takes place during the first year of implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, in a region facing three major pressures.
First, there is a need to transform the development model, as ecological transition, digitalization and innovation become new growth drivers to which ASEAN must adapt to avoid being left behind. Second, scientific and technological advances such as artificial intelligence and big data are exerting considerable pressure, redefining modes of governance at national and regional levels and requiring enhanced cooperation. Third, the global economy’s growing intertwinedness with politics, its fragmentation and disruption creates challenges for supply chains.
Faced with such pressures, ASEAN countries will find it difficult to maintain their position without strengthening cooperation and synergy within the bloc.
This year’s ASEAN Future Forum, themed “Shaping a Shared Future Together,” is based on three pillars: “peace, prosperity and a people-centered approach.” It not only realizes the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, but also provides ASEAN with the opportunity to seek timely solutions and strategies to adapt to new pressures.
In his opening speech At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Secretary-General and President To Lam highlighted two points. First, ASEAN must actively play its central role in the evolution of the regional structure.
The stronger and more unified ASEAN’s voice is, the more it will be able to strengthen the environment of peace and stability, promote respect for international law, build trust, resolve disagreements and settle disputes by peaceful means.
Second, ASEAN’s central role is not self-evident. Therefore, to sustain it, ASEAN must remain committed to its common goals, develop its internal capabilities, strengthen its internal ties and preserve its solidarity, while actively participating in mechanisms such as ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.
Tourists visit the Angkor Thom temple in Siem Reap province (Cambodia) – Photo: TTD
Intra-ASEAN tourism: a new engine for regional trade in services.
With the aim of strengthening intra-regional economic connectivity, tourism plays an increasingly important role in ASEAN’s services trade structure.
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As global tourism still recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, ASEAN is seeing a gradual increase in the number of international visitors. This increase in intra-ASEAN tourism is a positive point, helping to offset the decline in traditional markets and strengthening economic connectivity within the region.
People from ASEAN countries travel more frequently from one country to another.
According to the ASEAN Secretariat’s “ASEAN Tourism Overview 2025” report, tourism is not only a key economic sector, but also a powerful driver of cross-border flows of services, investment and consumption within the region.
In 2024, tourism and travel contributed 9.7% to ASEAN’s GDP, equivalent to US$379 billion, while supporting approximately 42 million jobs.
During the 2019-2024 period, although some traditional markets such as China recorded a decline in the number of visitors to ASEAN, many countries in the region compensated for this decline with a sharp increase in intra-regional tourist flows.
Intra-ASEAN tourism dominated in 2024, with segments such as cruise tourism and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and events) registering a recovery and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
In Cambodia, the number of Chinese tourists fell by 64%, while that of tourists from other ASEAN countries increased by 90%, with an increase of 360% for Thais and 48% for Vietnamese. Likewise, Vietnam recorded a clear evolution in its tourism market: the number of Chinese tourists fell by 36%, while that of ASEAN tourists increased by 15% and that of tourists from the Asia-Pacific region by 12%.
Cooperation to boost intra-regional tourism.
Addressing the journal Your Three Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, Vice-President of the Vietnam Tourism Association and President of the Tourism Association of Ho Chi Minh City, said that there is still great potential for tourism cooperation between Vietnam and ASEAN countries, especially with Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Timor-Leste.
According to Khanh, against the backdrop of an unstable global economy, the trend of short-term travel to destinations closer to home is becoming increasingly popular due to reasonable costs, short travel times and convenience.
Recently, Saigontourist Group, Vietnam Airlines and the Association of Thai Travel Agencies signed a cooperation memorandum of understanding for the period 2026-2029 aimed at strengthening tourism exchanges, developing interprovincial tourism products and positioning Vietnam and Thailand as a common destination. The parties also pledged to promote the expansion of direct flights, intensify marketing and implement tourism technologies.
Laos is expected to welcome around 1.3 million Vietnamese tourists in 2025, making Vietnam the third largest international tourism market for the “land of a million elephants”. The two parties will continue to strengthen their cooperation within the framework of the Cultural and Tourism Cooperation Program for the period 2026-2030.
At the same time, Cambodia is establishing itself as a major source market for tourists to Vietnam. In the first five months of 2026 alone, the number of Cambodian tourists increased by more than 40% compared to the same period of the previous year, making Cambodia the fifth most important market for Vietnam.
Source : https://tuoitre.vn/vi-the-viet-nam-trong-asean-uy-tin-hon-thuc-chat-hon-20260609082355871.htm
