After two days of discussions chaired by Malaysia, ASEAN issued the Chairman’s Statement of the 46th ASEAN Summit.

Chairman’s Statement highlights key priorities

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attend the discussion session.

Comprising 139 points, the Chairman’s Statement reaffirmed support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, which reflects the bloc’s shared commitment to peace, security, stability, and prosperity in an inclusive and sustainable framework.

ASEAN agreed to prioritise efforts aimed at narrowing development gaps and reducing inequality, improving living standards, and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The statement reiterated the need to strengthen ASEAN’s centrality by promoting strategic trust among nations through dialogue, diplomacy, and goodwill, while also enhancing ASEAN’s external relations and expanding its mutually beneficial partnerships within and beyond the region.

In addressing ASEAN’s role, the statement reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN’s centrality and unity in shaping a peaceful, stable, and inclusive regional architecture.

It highlighted the need to build strategic trust and mutual confidence among ASEAN member states and external partners through dialogue, diplomacy, and adherence to international law, while deepening ASEAN’s external commitments through mutually beneficial partnerships.

ASEAN leaders expressed their steadfast commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea/South China Sea.

The Chairman’s Statement underscored the need to uphold a rules-based regional order and called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any actions that could escalate disputes or threaten peace and stability in the disputed waters.

ASEAN leaders urged all parties to pursue peaceful means to resolve disputes, fully respect legal and diplomatic processes, and comply with internationally recognised legal frameworks, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They also emphasised the importance of fully implementing the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea/South China Sea (DOC), and welcomed progress in negotiations toward the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea/South China Sea.

The statement noted that ASEAN continued to demonstrate economic resilience, achieving a 4.7% growth rate in 2024, surpassing the global average.

While preliminary forecasts for 2025 suggest the same growth rate, the bloc expressed caution regarding persistent uncertainties in the global geoeconomic context, including trade tensions and supply chain disruptions, which pose significant risks to the region’s economic outlook.

Alongside the Chairman’s Statement, ASEAN issued several other declarations during the 46th ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

On May 28, at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta, the ASEAN Secretariat held a briefing on the outcomes of the 46th ASEAN Summit and associated high-level meetings recently held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The briefing was attended by representatives of ASEAN member states, ASEAN partners, international organisations, and numerous media outlets from Indonesia and abroad.

Expanding Viet Nam-Malaysia cooperation

Continuing his official visit to Malaysia and participation in the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, on the morning of May 28, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended a discussion session titled “The Intelligence Grid: Building Bridges Through Sovereign AI Collaboration”– an event marking the opening of ASEAN - the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Economic Forum.

In his remarks, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underscored the need to safeguard national security and sovereignty as AI becomes increasingly embedded in all aspects of life.

While AI development should remain open, it must adhere to each country's regulations. Notably, the development and governance of AI require cooperation among all nations, starting with ASEAN and GCC countries.

Speaking on the potential for AI cooperation between ASEAN and the GCC, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the development and application of AI is an objective necessity and a top strategic priority for each country.

Humans invented and created AI; therefore, AI must not overpower humans or have negative impacts. While recognising AI as a global, comprehensive, and inclusive issue, the Prime Minister called for international solidarity, the promotion of multilateralism, and equal access to AI, to ensure a consistent flow of AI development that also upholds autonomy, integration, and humanity.

He proposed that developed and wealthy nations support poorer and developing countries in fostering inclusive AI development that leaves no one behind.

This includes building harmonious and open institutions to promote and manage AI, and developing strategic infrastructure to support seamless, modern AI advancement.

He emphasised the need for a civilised, standardised governance system and increasingly efficient coordination to ensure safe, civilised, and humane AI development and control.

On the same day, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited and delivered a policy address at the National University of Malaysia (UKM).

Established in 1970, UKM is a leading academic institution in Malaysia and Asia, renowned for training many of the country’s leaders, experts, and scientists. It stands as a symbol of liberal knowledge, diverse integration, and connected communities.

The Prime Minister highlighted that over more than 50 years of diplomatic ties, Viet Nam-Malaysia cooperation has grown robustly, especially following the elevation of their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lam’s official visit to Malaysia.

He praised the strong bilateral cooperation, including in education and training, and acknowledged UKM’s Letter of Intent with the Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City and Viet Nam National University Ha Noi, paving the way for deeper collaboration in education, research, science and technology, and high-quality human resource development.

Outlining Viet Nam’s goals and orientation in education, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that investment in education is an investment in development, and that Viet Nam is implementing new policies for education and training.

By 2030, Viet Nam aims to have eight universities ranked among Asia’s top 200 and one in the global top 100 in specific scientific and technological fields. By 2035, it aims to have 12 universities among Asia’s top 100 and two among the world’s top 100 in select disciplines.

He emphasised that Malaysia’s youth represent a generation shaping and leading the future not only of Malaysia but of Southeast Asia.

He encouraged them to uphold five proactive values: taking initiative in learning; in innovation and entrepreneurship; in building institutions and improving policies; in international exchange and integration; and in maintaining ASEAN’s peace, stability, and cultural identity.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his belief that with creativity, courage, willingness to take risks, adaptability, and self-reliance, young people will serve as a core force and driving engine behind the miraculous development of their nations and a prosperous, civilised, inclusive, and sustainable ASEAN.

He voiced confidence that by sharing knowledge and investing in future generations, the two countries can overcome all limits. Viet Nam, he affirmed, is ready to deepen cooperation with Malaysia in education, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation for shared prosperity and sustainable development.

On the afternoon of May 28, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and the high-level Vietnamese delegation departed Kuala Lumpur and arrived in Ha Noi, successfully concluding their official visit to Malaysia and attendance at the 46th ASEAN Summit and related meetings from May 24 to 28.

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