During the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with the United States in Manila, Vietnam advocated for enhanced cooperation between ASEAN and the U.S. in areas such as trade, artificial intelligence, digital technology, and energy transition. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung emphasized the importance of finalizing a comprehensive work program between the two sides promptly, while welcoming the U.S.’s dedication to peace, stability, and development within the region.
Minister Trung highlighted the need to broaden collaboration in pivotal sectors, notably trade and investment, the digital economy, semiconductors, science and technology, and energy transition. He called for sustained U.S. support in the Mekong sub-region, focusing on water management, climate change adaptation, infrastructure development, and workforce training. Trung underscored the crucial role of maintaining peace in regional security and resolving disputes through dialogue and international law, appreciating U.S. backing for ASEAN’s stance on the South China Sea.
In his remarks on the Middle East, Trung stressed the importance of dialogue and ensuring secure maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing the necessity of safeguarding freedom of navigation according to international law. This aligns with his broader call for a rules-based regional order centered around ASEAN, which he urged the U.S. to support.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s commitment to ASEAN, recognizing Southeast Asia’s strategic and economic significance. He assured ongoing U.S. investment in supply chains, the digital economy, energy security, power-grid connectivity, and civil nuclear collaboration. Rubio’s statements reflect a continued effort to deepen economic ties and expand cooperation in high-value industries.
Together, ASEAN and the United States agreed to strengthen economic connections, enhance cooperation in combating challenges such as terrorism, cybercrime, and human and drug trafficking, and boost people-to-people exchanges. They also pledged to improve coordination to address emerging issues like online scams, underscoring a commitment to a collaborative future.