On the morning of January 29, in Luang Prabang (Laos), the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat opened, kicking off the ASEAN Year 2024 with the theme "ASEAN: Promoting Connectivity and Resilience".

Towards a more closely “connected” ASEAN, the conference agreed on orientations to promote recovery and connectivity of economies, focusing on sustainable and inclusive development, accelerating digital transformation, strengthening the capacity of the healthcare system, protecting the environment, responding to climate change, enhancing cultural and artistic cooperation, enhancing the role and contributions of women and children, etc.

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ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Laos.

The Ministers emphasized the need to persevere with ASEAN's balanced and harmonious approach in external relations, encourage partners to participate responsibly, contribute constructively and cooperate practically with ASEAN, strengthen the regional structure that is open, transparent, inclusive, and based on international law, thereby promoting ASEAN's central role.

Discussing the international and regional situation, the countries reaffirmed ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea, Myanmar, the Korean Peninsula, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Middle East, expressing concerns and sharing views and efforts to respond to emerging challenges such as climate change, energy security, food security, etc.

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Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son at the AMM Retreat 2024.

Leading the Vietnamese delegation to the conference, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son welcomed the cooperation theme for 2024, highly appreciating the priorities proposed by Laos, which are very suitable for the current context of the region. In particular, ASEAN needs to continue to strengthen digital connectivity, infrastructure connectivity, people, institutions, as well as enhance intra-bloc trade and investment... so that ASEAN can truly be the center of growth.

Vietnam supports and is ready to coordinate and assist Laos in successfully assuming the role of ASEAN Chair.

Minister Bui Thanh Son invited countries to participate in the ASEAN Future Forum on Rapid and Sustainable Development, with a People-Centered Vision, hosted by Vietnam. This is an initiative of Vietnam to create a forum for in-depth, multi-dimensional exchanges between officials, experts, scholars, and other groups and sectors on innovative, breakthrough policy ideas and recommendations for ASEAN's development, connectivity and cooperation.

Reviewing the progress in ASEAN's foreign relations, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed that Vietnam will actively participate and contribute to the success of upcoming important events such as the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, the 24th ASEAN-European Union Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Belgium...

As the coordinator of ASEAN-Korea relations, Vietnam proposed that countries consider the proposal to upgrade the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN, and continue to support the enhancement of bilateral cooperation towards the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Korea relations in 2024.

In the context of many new, complex and unpredictable developments in the world and region, the Minister emphasized that ASEAN needs to maintain solidarity, consensus, and promote independence and strategic autonomy.

The Minister reaffirmed ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea, and requested ASEAN to persistently support Myanmar. Vietnam supports and stands ready to cooperate with the 2024 ASEAN Chair and the Special Envoy on the Myanmar issue. ASEAN needs to maintain a balanced and objective approach, and enhance its role and voice on issues related to peace, security, stability and sustainable development.