Politburo Member Le Hoai Trung: Strengthening cooperation among Southeast Asian political parties is a strategic imperative
WVR - On the morning of June 8, in Hanoi, within the framework of the 3rd ASEAN Future Forum (AFF), the Roundtable "Southeast Asian Political Parties' Role in Building the ASEAN Community" took place. Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung attended and delivered a speech.
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| Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung expressed greater confidence in the future of ASEAN when reflecting on the significant achievements ASEAN has accomplished. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Warmly welcoming the delegates to the capital Hanoi, the City of Peace, to attend the 3rd ASEAN Future Forum, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung emphasized that today's roundtable is a highly meaningful milestone for ASEAN's cooperation process, marking the first meeting and exchange among political parties in the Southeast Asian region.
Accordingly, the first Roundtable among Southeast Asian political parties takes place in the context of rapid global and regional changes, with swift, strong, and profound transformations impacting all countries and political parties. Recently, at the Shangri-la Dialogue 2026, General Secretary, President of Vietnam To Lam stated that the world is facing three crises: the crisis of international order, the crisis of development models, and the crisis of strategic trust. The General Secretary, President also noted that these crises are becoming increasingly evident in the Asia-Pacific, directly affecting the daily lives of every Southeast Asian citizen.
Politburo member, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed that, in reality, Southeast Asian countries are all facing new challenges on the path to achieving new socio-economic accomplishments. Many traditional growth drivers are encountering obstacles. Trade liberalization, globalization, and international and regional economic integration are facing headwinds. Southeast Asia, like many other regions, continuously witnesses the risk of supply chain disruptions. The Asia-Pacific region remains a leader in international economic integration, but the security environment is riskier than before, and economic prospects face numerous difficulties.
And throughout the region, according to the Minister, the ASEAN way, one of ASEAN's keys to success in promoting a unified and cohesive Community, is also facing obstacles in fostering dialogue within and outside ASEAN. International law and multilateral institutions are facing unprecedented challenges. Conflicts continue to occur, with dimensions that just a few years ago we could hardly imagine. Peace and stability for development are becoming fragile both globally and regionally.
In this complex context, expressing greater confidence in ASEAN's future by reflecting on the significant achievements ASEAN has accomplished, Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed that the bonds connecting ASEAN are becoming increasingly strong across various fields, from political-security, economy, to culture-society. The image of ASEAN is increasingly present in the daily lives of the people of each country. From a region of differences among major countries, ASEAN has, over many decades, created a forum and become a bridge for dialogue among countries within and outside the region.
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| Delegates take a commemorative photo. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
According to the head of Vietnam's Foreign Affairs, the future of ASEAN depends on the actions of each of us. The ASEAN Community Vision has affirmed the common desire of all member countries to "realize a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN by 2045", aiming for a developed ASEAN that is "the center of growth in the Indo-Pacific region". ASEAN countries also clearly see the challenges posed to realizing the ambitious vision of the entire Community, Vision 2045.
Minister Le Hoai Trung pointed out that overcoming challenges, maintaining unity, and strategic autonomy require ASEAN cooperation not only through state, government, and parliamentary channels but also needs to be strengthened from the political foundation of each nation: Political parties. Strengthening cooperation among Southeast Asian political parties, therefore, is not merely an exchange initiative but a strategic imperative:
Firstly, political party cooperation brings ASEAN closer to the people and harnesses the strength of the entire society. As forces directly connected to the populace, political parties create a two-way bridge: bringing ASEAN's policies into the lives of the people while elevating the people's voices to the regional level. It is also a channel to mobilize broad social consensus to jointly address common challenges – from climate change, cybersecurity to sustainable development and the digital economy.
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| Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung emphasised that political party cooperation brings ASEAN closer to the people and harnesses the strength of the entire society. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
Secondly, political party cooperation provides a foundation for stability and continuity of long-term political commitments, primarily the effective implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Thirdly, political party cooperation can aim towards a flexible supplementary exchange channel in the region. In Asia, the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) mechanism has been established; however, ASEAN still lacks its own political party connection channel.
In this spirit, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung emphasized that the Roundtable faces three major questions:
First, how to enhance cooperation and strengthen trust among Southeast Asian political parties?
Second, how to disseminate good governance and party-building lessons?
Third, how to enhance the contribution of political parties to the ASEAN Community-building process?
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| Politburo Member, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry, Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung at the event. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
“With such constructive exchanges for a common goal, we believe the Roundtable will contribute to further deepening ASEAN solidarity and cohesion, and the cooperative relationship among countries in the Southeast Asian region. The year 2025 witnessed the milestone of Timor-Leste becoming a member, completing the integration of all Southeast Asian nations into ASEAN. We expect that this year's inaugural roundtable will be another milestone, opening a more regular dialogue channel among Southeast Asian political parties, demonstrating the responsible contribution of political parties to the future development of the Community, maintaining ASEAN's cohesion and central role, contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region,” Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung expressed.
Within the framework of the Roundtable, delegates representing Southeast Asian political parties exchanged views on a number of important topics: Building trust among Southeast Asian political parties for a united, resilient, and strong ASEAN Community; experiences in governance and promoting cooperation among political parties in the ASEAN Community-building process; enhancing the role of political parties in promoting ASEAN cooperation and realizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
