"The ASEAN Future Forum will gradually create its mark, brand, be consolidated, shaped and promoted. Only then can we affirm that we have formed a Shangri-La, Munich or Nikkei of ASEAN," Mr. Trinh Minh Manh, acting director of the Institute for Strategic Studies of the Diplomatic Academy, shared with TG&VN on the sidelines of the international press conference on the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 on the afternoon of February 13 in Hanoi.
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| The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 has created resonance and appreciation from the international community, inside and outside ASEAN. |
How do you evaluate the spread of the ASEAN Future Forum after only one year, attracting the participation of senior leaders in ASEAN, ASEAN partners; senior officials, leading experts and scholars in the region and the world?
The first ASEAN Future Forum 2024 was held successfully, creating a buzz and receiving high appreciation from the international community, inside and outside ASEAN.
This year, the spread and value of the Forum continue to multiply, demonstrating that Vietnam has found an initiative that meets the common concerns of all countries. The ASEAN Future Forum was initiated by an ASEAN country, talking about the future of the region itself. This is the first initiative of an ASEAN country, launched at a time when Southeast Asian countries are facing many challenges both internally and externally.
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| Mr. Trinh Minh Manh, Acting Director of the Institute for Strategic Diplomacy Studies, Diplomatic Academy, in an interview with TG&VN. (Photo: Thanh Long) |
It can be said that this is a forum for countries to share their voices, not only from officials but also from scholars, to discuss the challenges and issues that ASEAN is facing, in order to find a direction for ASEAN in the future.
To best serve ASEAN’s interests in a changing world, perhaps we have found a common voice and initiatives that express the common concerns and aspirations of the countries as well as the region. That is the main reason for the spread and value of the Forum.
This year, it is expected that up to this point, three high-ranking leaders have confirmed their attendance, namely the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Minister of Malaysia – ASEAN Chair 2025, and the President of Timor Leste. In addition, there will be the Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia, along with many ministers and deputy ministers.
The level of participation in the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 shows the attractiveness of the Forum, the response of partner countries as well as the appreciation of Vietnam's role in promoting exchanges and discussions on issues directly related to the future and interests of ASEAN. That participation is a success and a mark for this year's Forum.
The agenda of the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 covers many issues from politics, security to economics, sub-regional cooperation, along with many highlights such as discussions on emerging technologies... How does such an ambitious agenda reflect the comprehensive capacity of host Vietnam, sir?
Indeed, the topics, contents and issues that the Forum brings up for discussion have very broad connotations. This shows that the issues that ASEAN is facing, the issues that are important to the future of ASEAN, are numerous, from politics, security to major trends, both geopolitical and geo-economic.
These issues affect all countries, especially small and medium-sized countries, including ASEAN. The world economy is currently in a state of flux, affected by many factors, not only competition between major countries but also the process of reshaping the rules of the game and competition between economic powers.
This poses many challenges to ASEAN, not only in economic aspects but also in socio-cultural issues as well as in dealing with peace and security issues.
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| Director of the Department of Press and Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang and Acting Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy Trinh Minh Manh chaired the press conference of the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 - AFF 2025 on the afternoon of February 13 in Hanoi. (Photo: Anh Son) |
In particular, technology is also a big problem with wars between major countries in areas such as quantum technology or artificial intelligence. ASEAN needs to take advantage of the opportunities from these changes as well as find solutions to overcome the accompanying challenges. Although the scope of discussion at this year's Forum is very broad, there are still highlights, especially the discussions related to technology.
The development of the program for this year's Forum is a process of referring to the topics of regional conferences and the concerns of the ASEAN Chair 2025. From there, Vietnam finds common concerns and points that need to be discussed and included in the agenda of this ASEAN Future Forum.
In your opinion, what is the content and message of "solidarity, inclusiveness and self-reliance" that the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 aims for, in the current volatile international context?
This year’s forum is themed “Building a united, inclusive and resilient ASEAN in a changing world”. The adjectives “united, inclusive and resilient” are the goals and values that ASEAN needs to uphold. This is the answer for ASEAN to respond to the challenges posed in the current volatile and fragmented world.
No matter the circumstances, ASEAN must always be united, that is the core value of ASEAN. The more difficult the external situation is, the more solidarity is needed within. Unity is a prerequisite to find a common voice in responding to challenges.
One of ASEAN’s ways of behaving is not to choose sides. ASEAN has a neutral, independent and self-reliant voice, which means making decisions and determining development directions on its own without being influenced by outside countries. Such self-reliant, together with solidarity and inclusiveness, will create the value of ASEAN. Inclusiveness here means bringing benefits to all countries in the region, to all people in ASEAN countries.
Inclusiveness also means that ASEAN is a partner of all countries, creating a playground and a bridge between countries through forums initiated by ASEAN such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting with Partner Countries (ADMM+), through which countries, even though they compete with each other, can sit together and find a common voice with ASEAN through dialogue and cooperation. That is the value that ASEAN needs to promote to maintain its relevance and central role in the future.
The Future of ASEAN Forum can be seen as a typical example of Vietnam being more proactive and positive in building and developing the ASEAN Community. How do you evaluate the progress of ASEAN over the past 30 years?
Vietnam's 30 years of participation in ASEAN is a journey of maturity and development of the country in terms of multilateral diplomacy as well as regional and international integration.
It can be said that ASEAN is the “land” and forum where Vietnam took its first faltering steps in regional and international integration. From the initial steps, we have gradually become more familiar, more mature, and participated more proactively.
Now, Vietnam is participating proactively, positively and responsibly, and putting forward initiatives to contribute to shaping the future of ASEAN. These steps demonstrate Vietnam’s maturity in 30 years of being part of the Association.
Of course, in the process of joining ASEAN, ASEAN also brings great and important benefits to Vietnam. At this time, Vietnam not only benefits from the participation process but also contributes to the common interests through initiatives and ideas such as the ASEAN Forum. During the process of joining ASEAN, Vietnam has had many different initiatives, but the ASEAN Future Forum is the latest, leaving a clear mark, demonstrating Vietnam's timeliness, appropriateness, and acumen in proposing thoughts and ideas and receiving widespread response.
Since the conception of the ASEAN Future Forum, we have been hoping for a brand like the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Munich Conference or the Nikkei. After the success of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 and the initial success of the ASEAN Future Forum 2025, are our hopes getting closer?
I hope that the ASEAN Future Forum will have a brand like the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Munich Conference or the Nikkei. The second year of the ASEAN Future Forum has shown signs of high interest from international and regional friends and ASEAN leaders.
Hopefully, over time, the ASEAN Future Forum will gradually create its mark, brand, be consolidated, shaped and promoted. Only then can we affirm that we have formed a Shangri-La, Munich or Nikkei of ASEAN. The ASEAN Future Forum is the only forum of ASEAN, by ASEAN and for ASEAN, so I think it will continue to develop and have many prospects in the future.
Over the past two years of organizing the ASEAN Future Forum, the Diplomatic Academy has participated and played the role of organizing chair together with agencies in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ministries under the close direction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
The Diplomatic Academy has the skills and experience in organizing international events. In addition to the ASEAN Future Forum, the Academy also organizes the annual South China Sea Dialogue and other international conferences in the process of academic exchange and participation in various international forums.
Thank you very much!
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