Deputy PM Phan Van Giang receives ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn
WVR - On the morning of June 10, at the Government Headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van Giang received Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, ASEAN Secretary-General, who paid a courtesy call on the occasion of attending the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026.
Latest
 |
| Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn. (Source: People Army Newspaper) |
During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van Giang expressed gratitude to Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn for attending and speaking at the ASEAN Future Forum for three consecutive years, demonstrating special interest and support for the Forum.
The Deputy Prime Minister also acknowledged the significant contributions of the Secretary-General and the Secretariat to ASEAN's collective work, as well as the support and cooperation extended to Vietnam in recent times.
In discussions, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the importance of effectively implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its accompanying Strategic Plans, especially in the context of global and regional fluctuations posing numerous challenges for ASEAN.
Furthermore, ASEAN must continuously enhance its adaptability, recovery, and strategic autonomy, with an immediate focus on effectively implementing commitments in the Declaration on the Middle East Crisis Response recently adopted by leaders at the 48th ASEAN Summit (May 2026).
Moreover, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that ASEAN's top long-term priority remains maintaining unity, strengthening its central role, and ensuring peace, security, and stability in the region, thereby creating a conducive environment for development and prosperity.
To maintain its position as a growth hub in the region, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, ASEAN needs to boost intra-regional trade, effectively leverage established FTAs, and explore new growth drivers. Simultaneously, it must always place people at the center of all social policies such as education, healthcare, climate change, and environmental protection.
In terms of foreign relations, ASEAN should further deepen ties with partners and ensure that the expansion of external relations is accompanied by enhanced quality and effectiveness of cooperation.
On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang acknowledged the important achievements in defense and military cooperation within ASEAN in recent times, especially in mechanisms like the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM+, and reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to actively contributing to cooperation mechanisms within the ADMM and ADMM frameworks.
 |
| Overview of the meeting. (Source: People Army Newspaper) |
For his part, Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn highly appreciated Vietnam's socio-economic development achievements and its contributions to ASEAN, affirming that Vietnam has become a model of sustainable development and a key member of ASEAN.
This new position, according to the Secretary-General, was most clearly demonstrated through the inspiring speech by General Secretary, President To Lam at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue.
Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn shared the insights and proposals exchanged by Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van Giang and committed that the ASEAN Secretariat stands ready to support the initiatives and efforts of member countries, including Vietnam, to realize the goals of the ASEAN Vision 2045.
Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn praised the success of the third AFF in terms of theme, content, and organization, noting that the forum is gradually building its reputation and brand at the regional level, becoming a valuable dialogue platform that contributes quality input to policy-making and the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
