Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão emphasised that becoming a member of ASEAN is “a dream comes true" for the people of Timor Leste, affirming that joining ASEAN marked a significant turning point, helping Timor Leste move towards the future and integrate into the broader regional community.
ASEAN membership is expected to enhance Timor-Leste’s regional integration, attract investor confidence, and allow Timor-Leste to both benefit from and contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan described the moment as historic, marking the expansion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s scope to include each and every sovereign state in the region.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man held bilateral meetings with Cambodian National Assembly President Khuon Sudary and Timor-Leste National Parliament Speaker Maria Fernanda Lay in Kuala Lumpur on September 17 on the sidelines of the 46th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-46).
Vietnam will continue assisting Timor-Leste in effectively participating in ASEAN’s activities and keeping pace with the bloc’s development, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Vietnam will continue to actively support Timor-Leste in effectively participating in and actively contributing to the ASEAN Community, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung affirmed on September 16.
Amid conflicts, tensions, and complicated developments in many regions, ASEAN member states must continue working together to safeguard achievements, especially promoting unity to drive the bloc’s stronger growth in the future, Trung said.
In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) on the 30th anniversary of Vietnam's ASEAN membership (July 28, 1995 – 2025), the diplomat said Vietnam’s accession brought the bloc important strategic visions in economy, politics, culture, and social affairs.
Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao has expressed optimism that the country will secure full membership by the end of this year.
Timor-Leste is steadily carving its place in the ASEAN family, with several milestones already achieved under the official roadmap, said ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
At the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta in September, 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste. The decision is a reflection of the importance India attaches to ASEAN, and its relations with Timor Leste.
Praising Vietnam’s remarkable achievements across various sectors, including impressive economic growth, equitable wealth distribution, President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta noted that such have earned respect of the international community.
Vietnam and Timor Leste agreed to effectively tap cooperation potential in other important fields, especially agriculture, fisheries, food processing, telecommunications, education, oil and gas, infrastructure construction, aviation, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.
Timor-Leste was recognised as an ASEAN observer state and joined the ASEAN Regional Forum in 2005 before officially applying for membership on March 4, 2011.
Timor-Leste is on the verge of attaining full membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Timor-Leste Ambassador to Malaysia Lisualdo Gaspar.
Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta left Hanoi on August 3 afternoon, wrapping up his 4-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President To Lam.
Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta on August 2 visited and engaged in an exchange programme with students of the Hanoi-based Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) as part of his state visit to Vietnam.
President To Lam on August 1 hosted a banquet in honour of Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta, who is on a state visit to Vietnam.
National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man has expressed his hope that parliamentary cooperation would become a key pillar in the partnership between Vietnam and Timor-Leste, via sharing experiences in law-building, supreme supervision, and decision-making on key national issues.
President To Lam and visiting President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta on August 1 toured the Hanoi-based Ho Chi Minh Museum, a repository of documents, artifacts, and original films about the life and revolutionary career of the late Vietnamese leader.
State President To Lam held talks with visiting President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta in Hanoi on August 1, during which the leaders sought measures to further promote all-round cooperation between the two countries.
President To Lam on August 1 hosted a red-carpet welcome ceremony for President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta who is paying a state visit to Vietnam from July 31 to August 3.
President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta arrived in Hanoi on July 31 evening, beginning his four-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President To Lam.
The state visit to Vietnam by President of Timor Leste Jose Ramos-Horta from July 31-August 3 will push forward bilateral ties across economy, agriculture, information technology and telecommunications, said Ambassador of Timor Leste to Vietnam João Pereira.
The state visit to Vietnam by Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta from July 31 to August 3 is expected to offer an opportunity for the two countries to discuss measures to boost cooperation, particularly in trade.