ASEAN Summit opens in Philippines

The 30th ASEAN Summit opened on Saturday in Manila, the Philippines with the attendance of leaders of ten member states.

In his opening remarks, Philippines’s President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said “we gather here today with the desire to move forward together.”

Unity, solidarity and cooperation have defined ASEAN over the last five decades and these have been crucial to ASEAN’s success, he said.

During this year’s summit, the regional leaders will discuss on orientations and measures to enhance internal connectivity and effectively implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

PM Phuc.
PM Phuc.

The ASEAN leaders affirmed that solidarity, unity and internal strength are the foundation for the next development stage of the bloc.

They committed to further striving for sustainable growth, narrowing development gap, improving ASEAN’s competitiveness, and enhancing its capacity to cope with emerging challenges.

The leaders also stressed the need to continue reforming and improving the effectiveness of ASEAN cooperation and mobilizing the engagement of people in the ASEAN Community building process.

Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak has urged ASEAN member states to cut barriers to trade, such as tariff and non-tariff measures (NTMs), while strengthening e-commerce in the region.

In his keynote speech during the Prosperity Summit for All on Friday, coinciding with the 30th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings, Najib pointed out that NTMs and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) between 2000 and 2015 ballooned from 1,634 to 5,975.

“This cannot be tolerated. It has to be checked. It has to be reversed,” Najib stressed.

The Malaysian Prime Minister mentioned that ASEAN is projected to be the world’s fourth largest economy by 2030 with gross domestic product (GDP) amounting to USD9.2 trillion. But for the region to reach the USD9.2-trillion economy, NTBs and NTMs should be slashed by 50 percent./.

VGP

Other News

First working day of Party Central Committee's fourth plenum

First working day of Party Central Committee's fourth plenum

Delegates held group discussions on the CPV Central Committee resolution calling for stronger building and rectification towards a clean, strong and comprehensive Party and political system able to meet the country's development needs in the new era.

Key Party leader hosts Hungarian Workers' Party chief

Key Party leader hosts Hungarian Workers' Party chief

The Communist Party of Vietnam always values its solidarity and friendship with the Hungarian Workers' Party and communist and workers' parties worldwide, which helps build political trust and supports Vietnam's relations with other countries, said key Party leader Tran Cam Tu.

14th Party Central Committee convenes fourth plenum

14th Party Central Committee convenes fourth plenum

In his opening remarks, General Secretary and President To Lam said that the 14th National Party Congress set out major orientations and strategic goals, while the second and third plenums adopted important policies on Party building, personnel, development and national defence. The fourth plenum must focus on creating conditions for effective implementation while preparing the theoretical, organisational and human resources foundations for the country’s long-term development.

Panamanian President's Vietnam visit offers new opportunity to deepen bilateral ties

Panamanian President's Vietnam visit offers new opportunity to deepen bilateral ties

Vietnamese Ambassador to Mexico and Panama Nguyen Van Hai noted that the visit is particularly significant as the first high-level exchange between the two countries in nearly 15 years, following then-President Ricardo Martinelli’s visit to Vietnam in 2012, and came shortly after the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025.

Vietnam and Panama can become gateways linking two regions

Vietnam and Panama can become gateways linking two regions

"Panama can serve as a strategic platform for Vietnamese companies seeking greater access to Latin America and the Caribbean, while Vietnam represents an important gateway for strengthening Panama’s engagement with Southeast Asia", Ambassador Nubiela Ayala Modes confirmed.

Localities committed to achieving 2026 growth targets

Localities committed to achieving 2026 growth targets

Localities nationwide hailed effective and flexible directions delivered by the Government so far this year, resulting in positive nine-month socio-economic growth, and reaffirmed their commitment to achieving targets set for the whole 2026 at an online Government-locality conference on October 3.

Creating new drivers for Vietnam-Canada cooperation

Creating new drivers for Vietnam-Canada cooperation

The elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership shows that Vietnam and Canada increasingly view each other not simply as trading partners, but as long-term partners in addressing economic, technological and regional challenges.

Top leader asks for sports development to build national strength

Top leader asks for sports development to build national strength

The top leader applauded the efforts of ministries, sectors, localities, social organisations, coaches, athletes, experts in developing physical education and sports in recent times, stressing that Resolution No. 08 has provided an important political foundation for sports development over the past 15 years, while Conclusion No. 70 set important orientations for the new period.

Vietnam mobilises resources to affirm its leadership role in APEC 2027

Vietnam mobilises resources to affirm its leadership role in APEC 2027

PSNews - Vietnam is recognised by its partners as an influential member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, with expectations that it will continue to demonstrate leadership when it hosts APEC for the third time in 2027, according to Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu.

Top Vietnamese leader receives Chairman of Japan Bank for International Cooperation

Top Vietnamese leader receives Chairman of Japan Bank for International Cooperation

General Secretary and President Lam urged JBIC to continue promoting the substantive implementation of projects under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), and step up discussions on potential cooperation within the framework of the POWERR Asia (Partnership on Wide Energy and Resources Resilience Asia) initiative, including the development of strategic energy reserves.

NA, Government's Party committees meet on legislature's second session agenda

NA, Government's Party committees meet on legislature's second session agenda

National Assembly President Tran Thanh Man coordination must go beyond finishing the agenda to improve the quality of NA decisions and Government enforcement; deal with policies rather than just paperwork, especially in the fight against corruption and other negative phenomena; and pin down final responsibility for each product, not just progress.

Prime Minister receives Cambodian Minister of Inspection

Prime Minister receives Cambodian Minister of Inspection

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung asked the two countries' inspection agencies to build on their achievements by regularly exchanging information and experience, maintaining delegation exchanges, and coordinating inspections in areas related to bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation.