Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the 47th ASEAN Summit, October 26, 2025. (Photo: VGP)

Speaking at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia on Sunday, PM Chinh said these strengths include reinforcing unity and consensus to ensure the coordinated and effective implementation of ASEAN’s strategies and action plans.

He emphasized the need for ASEAN to enhance its dynamism, self-reliance, resilience, and internal connectivity through proactive and timely implementation of cooperation programs, accompanied by regular reviews and adjustments to keep mechanisms operating efficiently. The Prime Minister called for boosting intra-ASEAN trade and investment while expanding regional and inter-regional partnerships.

He also stressed the importance of fostering innovation by swiftly concluding new cooperation frameworks such as the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) and the ASEAN Digital Master Plan. Efforts, he said, should focus on advancing data infrastructure and cross-border data governance, while encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, including through the establishment of an ASEAN Innovation Center Network.

PM Chinh said maintaining peace, security, stability, and development must remain ASEAN’s top priority. He urged the bloc to strengthen unity and uphold its principled, consistent position on the East Sea, emphasizing respect for international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).