Prime Minister Le Minh Hung holds bilateral meetings during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung meets with Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. (Source: VGP)

Delighted to meet Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Sultan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah extended warm greetings and regards to General Secretary, President To Lam and other Vietnamese leaders; he also warmly congratulated Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on his new position and expressed a desire to collaborate with the Prime Minister to enhance the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership to be more substantive and effective in the coming time.

Recalling his visit to Vietnam at the end of 2025, the Sultan affirmed that it was a very substantive visit and he was extremely pleased with the results achieved during the visit.

Thanking the Sultan for his good sentiments towards Vietnam and the development of bilateral relations, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung suggested that both sides effectively and substantively implement the Action Program to deploy the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership for the 2023-2027 period; maintain exchanges of delegations at all levels, especially high-level; promote economic and trade cooperation, consider establishing a Joint Committee mechanism on trade cooperation; and strengthen cooperation in the fields of fisheries and seafood.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung suggested both sides effectively and substantively implement the Action Program to deploy the Vietnam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership for the 2023-2027 period. (Source: VGP)

Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah emphasized that Brunei supports Vietnam in successfully organizing the APEC Year 2027 and stated that Brunei is also ready to cooperate with Vietnam in areas where both sides have strengths and mutual interest. In the context of many global and regional fluctuations, the Sultan suggested that the two countries strengthen cooperation in trade and energy.

On this occasion, the Sultan invited Prime Minister Le Minh Hung to visit Brunei at a convenient time.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung meets with President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Source: VGP)

President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warmly congratulated and welcomed Prime Minister Le Minh Hung for attending the ASEAN Summit for the first time as the Prime Minister of Vietnam; he highly appreciated the positive developments in the Philippines-Vietnam Strategic Partnership in recent times and expressed a desire for both sides to continue promoting comprehensive cooperation in a more substantive and effective manner in the coming years.

Thanking the President of the Philippines for the warm and cordial reception, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasized that 2026 holds special significance as the two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations, and the Government of Vietnam always values and wishes to further promote the Vietnam-Philippines Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that Vietnam supports the Philippines in successfully assuming the role of ASEAN Chair in 2026, strengthening ASEAN's unity, cohesion, and central role.

The President of the Philippines thanked Vietnam for its active cooperation during the Philippines' ASEAN Chairmanship year; he expressed a desire to collaborate with Vietnam and other ASEAN member countries to further promote intra-regional economic and trade cooperation, and to strengthen the peaceful, stable, and developing environment of the region amidst many global fluctuations and challenges.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasized that 2026 holds special significance as the two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations, and the Government of Vietnam always values and wishes to further promote the Vietnam-Philippines Strategic Partnership. (Source: VGP)

Regarding bilateral relations, President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. noted that the two countries have much room and potential for cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, security-defense, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges; he expressed a desire for more direct flights between the cities of the two countries; he appreciated the coordination in organizing events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2026.

The two leaders agreed to actively promote some key areas of cooperation within the Strategic Partnership, giving high priority to high-level and various levels of delegation exchanges; facilitating trade, striving to soon achieve a bilateral trade turnover of 10 billion USD; enhancing cooperation on food security, energy security, and marine scientific research; and suggested both sides actively complete negotiations and sign the Cooperation Agreement on General Education and the Tourism Cooperation Program for 2026-2029.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to continue supporting each other at multilateral forums, actively working with ASEAN member countries and China to promote substantive and effective negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung meets Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmao. (Source: VNA)

In discussions with Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung congratulated Timor-Leste on attending the ASEAN Summit for the first time as an official member; he affirmed that Vietnam is ready to support Timor-Leste in fully integrating into the regional cooperation process.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao highly appreciated Vietnam's increasingly prominent role and position in the region; he thanked Vietnam for its continuous support and assistance to Timor-Leste in nation-building and development, as well as in the ASEAN integration process.

The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste expressed a desire to continue promoting multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam, especially in the fields of trade, investment, telecommunications, and education-training; he also appreciated the Telemor project by Viettel Group being implemented in Timor-Leste, considering it an effective cooperation symbol between the two countries, contributing positively to Timor-Leste's socio-economic development.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung suggested that the Government of Timor-Leste facilitate Vietnamese businesses investing and operating in Timor-Leste. (Source: VGP)

Expressing joy over the positive developments in the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in recent times, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung suggested that both sides continue to promote high-level and various levels of delegation exchanges; he noted that both sides should closely coordinate to effectively exploit the potential and opportunities for bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of investment, trade, telecommunications, digital technology, energy and oil and gas, fisheries, and food processing; he also expressed a desire for the Government of Timor-Leste to facilitate Vietnamese businesses investing and operating in Timor-Leste.

The Prime Minister stated that Vietnam is ready to support and share experiences with Timor-Leste in economic development, policy-making support, and providing credit for small and medium enterprises.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung meets Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet. (Source: VGP)

Congratulating Le Minh Hung on being elected Prime Minister, Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet expressed confidence that Vietnam will continue to achieve great accomplishments, soon reaching double-digit economic growth targets and the two strategic centennial goals.

Through Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Prime Minister Hun Manet conveyed cordial greetings and regards to General Secretary, President To Lam and affirmed the importance of friendly neighborly relations and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.

Thanking Prime Minister Hun Manet for his good sentiments, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung conveyed the sincere regards of General Secretary, President To Lam and key Vietnamese leaders to the King, Queen, President of the Senate Hun Sen, and Prime Minister Hun Manet; he also affirmed that Vietnam will closely coordinate with Prime Minister Hun Manet to develop Vietnam-Cambodia relations in a more substantive and effective manner.

During the meeting, both sides agreed that bilateral relations have continued to progress substantively, with vibrant exchanges of delegations at all levels, notably the State visit to Cambodia, co-chairing the High-Level Meeting between the Central Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party by General Secretary To Lam (February 2026) and the official visit to Cambodia by Standing Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu (April 2026).

Both sides highly appreciated the consensus on basic principles to manage differences based on mutual respect for legitimate interests; affirmed that defense-security cooperation remains a solid pillar; economic cooperation continues to be a highlight, with bilateral trade turnover in the first quarter of 2026 reaching nearly 3.5 billion USD, an increase of 6.5% compared to the same period in 2025.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung affirmed that Vietnam will closely coordinate with Prime Minister Hun Manet to develop Vietnam-Cambodia relations in a more substantive and effective manner. (Source: VGP)

Building on the achievements, both sides agreed to continue close coordination, promote exchanges of delegations at all levels in people-to-people exchanges, seriously implement agreements and cooperation mechanisms; adhere to the principle of not allowing hostile forces to use one country's territory to harm the security and interests of the other; view political security of one country as contributing to maintaining security, stability, and development of the other; enhance cooperation to address non-traditional security challenges, closely coordinate in border management and protection, prevent and combat transnational crimes.

Both sides agreed to expedite the agreement on the "New Economic Cooperation Mechanism for Tight Linkage of the Two Economies" until 2035, with a vision to 2050; promote research to agree on the connection plan for the Ho Chi Minh City/Moc Bai - Bavet/Phnom Penh expressway... Both sides agreed to coordinate in organizing activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Cambodia (June 24, 1967 - June 24, 2027).

Emphasizing the importance of maintaining a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and sustainable development border between the two countries, both sides affirmed to continue addressing arising issues satisfactorily and promptly, including coordinating to sustainably protect the environment in the border area; promote negotiations, resolve about 16% of the border that has not yet been demarcated, coordinate border management on land and at sea with mutual understanding and respect, in accordance with international law.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung thanked and requested Cambodia to continue to pay attention and facilitate the Vietnamese community in Cambodia to live, work, and study legally, contributing to the socio-economic development of Cambodia and the friendly relations between the two countries.

During the meetings, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and ASEAN leaders exchanged and shared views on several regional and global issues of mutual concern; agreed to strengthen cooperation, coordinate positions within ASEAN and the United Nations, and promote ASEAN's central role in addressing international and regional issues. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung also cordially invited the leaders to attend and speak at the 3rd ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) scheduled to be held in Hanoi in early June 2026.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung meets President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masato Kanda. (Source: VGP)

In a meeting with President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Masato Kanda, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung highly appreciated ADB's contributions to Vietnam's development over the years. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of aid and concessional loans for new development investment phases and welcomed ADB's early initiation of the Country Partnership Strategy for 2027 – 2031, demonstrating a commitment to accompany Vietnam in achieving development goals.

The Prime Minister suggested that ADB closely coordinate with the Vietnamese Government to further enhance the effectiveness of cooperation between the two sides, particularly by reviewing and resolving obstacles and difficulties in project implementation, expanding flexible and concessional financial instruments, and increasing technical support and policy advice in building new development models, green transition, supply chain, climate change response, and private sector support. The Prime Minister also suggested that ADB promote ADB-ASEAN cooperation, the Greater Mekong Subregion Cooperation Program (GMS), especially in the fields of energy and regional connectivity.

ADB President Masato Kanda congratulated Prime Minister Le Minh Hung on being elected as the head of the Government and thanked the Prime Minister for his support of the Bank. Mr. Masato Kanda affirmed that ADB will continue to be a reliable partner of Vietnam in the new development era, and the Country Partnership Strategy 2027 – 2031 will closely align with Vietnam's economic and social development strategies and plans. ADB will also continuously improve processes and procedures, develop new financial instruments to better meet the resource needs of Vietnam and its members.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung suggested that ADB closely coordinate with the Vietnamese Government to further enhance the effectiveness of cooperation between the two sides. (Source: VGP)

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