Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, officially kicked off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 26, bringing together leaders of 10 ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste, the ASEAN Secretary-General, ministers and senior officials representing the three ASEAN Community pillars.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the opening ceremony.
In his opening speech, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed Malaysia’s honour to take the 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship. Noting the significance of 2025 as the 10th founding anniversary of the ASEAN Community, he underscored the summit’s role in shaping the bloc’s future through the adoption of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Peace, stability, and prosperity in ASEAN hinge on an open, inclusive, rules-based international order, where trade flows freely and people remain at the heart of all efforts, he said.
He highlighted the symbolic importance of the first-ever ASEAN–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - China Summit, calling it a testament to the growing cohesion of regional blocs.
According to the PM, ASEAN must preserve multilateralism and ensure that the ASEAN–GCC–China geo-economic model fosters a more inclusive and sustainable future for the region and its people.
The year 2025 marks Malaysia’s fifth ASEAN chairmanship, following previous terms in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015. In addition to the 46th ASEAN Summit, key highlights of this year’s agenda include the second ASEAN–GCC Summit and the historic inaugural ASEAN–GCC–China Summit./.
