Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn.

At the reception, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the contributions of the ASEAN Secretariat and the Secretary-General himself to the common work of the ASEAN Community; welcomed and thanked the Secretary-General for accepting the invitation to attend the first ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) organized at Vietnam's initiative; emphasized that Vietnam has devoted much effort to this initiative with the hope that AFF will become a forum for exchanging ideas and initiatives to promote regional cooperation, complementing ASEAN's official forums and mechanisms, contributing to building a united, self-reliant and sustainably developing ASEAN Community.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the Secretary-General's speech at the Forum this morning and looked forward to the Secretary-General's continued support and contributions to raising the Forum's level in the coming years.

Discussing the building of the ASEAN Community, the Prime Minister affirmed that after nearly 6 decades of formation and development, ASEAN has achieved many important achievements; emphasized that ASEAN needs to continue to prioritize maintaining solidarity, independence, self-reliance and adaptability in the volatile regional and international environment, ensuring the building of a community that develops rapidly, sustainably, and in line with the trend of the times; said that ASEAN needs to promote dialogue relations with partner countries, especially major countries, in the direction of balance, diversification, multilateralization, harmonization of interests, sharing of risks, increasing common points, and minimizing disagreements for the goal of building a peaceful, cooperative and developing environment in the region and for a strong, independent, self-reliant and proactively adaptable ASEAN.

Faced with complex changes in the regional and international situation, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of maintaining solidarity, unity and the central role of ASEAN in promoting the settlement of regional issues, including the East Sea and Myanmar issues.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the Prime Minister affirmed that ASEAN is taking the right approach, maintaining its core role in promoting dialogue and resolving the issue by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), avoiding escalation of tensions and conflicts, ensuring peace, security, freedom of navigation and aviation in the region.

Reception scene.

Regarding the situation in Myanmar, the Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam and ASEAN member countries always support the humanitarian assistance efforts of ASEAN and its partners in Myanmar, and hope that ASEAN will continue to steadfastly and persistently implement the Five-Point Consensus and support Myanmar, a member of the ASEAN family.

The Prime Minister also affirmed that Vietnam supports the 2024 ASEAN Chair Laos and the Chair's Special Envoy to Myanmar, as well as the ASEAN Secretary-General in promoting the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, especially mobilizing humanitarian assistance from the international community for the people of Myanmar, through the AHA Center, contributing to helping Myanmar overcome this difficult period.

The Prime Minister stressed that more than ever, ASEAN needs to unite, promote more creative and innovative approaches, and support Myanmar in finding feasible and sustainable solutions for the benefit of the people of Myanmar, and for peace, security and stability in the region.

The ASEAN Secretary General thanked Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the AFF Organizing Committee for their warm welcome; affirmed that this is an important initiative, demonstrating the strategic vision of the Prime Minister as well as of Vietnam in promoting the formation of an ASEAN-specific forum on the future of ASEAN, contributing to building a fast-growing, sustainable, people-centered ASEAN Community, quickly adapting to geopolitical fluctuations as well as competition between major countries in the region.

Regarding Community building, the Secretary-General affirmed that this is the common interest and priority of member countries. Through contacts with partners, the Secretary-General said that partner countries always expressed their appreciation for the relationship and central role of ASEAN, and were ready to support ASEAN in implementing priority focuses in each Community pillar, especially in trade, investment, human resource training, and people-to-people exchanges. Regarding the situation in Myanmar, the Secretary-General highly appreciated the sharing of the Prime Minister as well as Vietnam, ensuring respect for ASEAN's fundamental principles while still demonstrating the spirit of community and mutual affection among members of the ASEAN family; and said that ASEAN needs to continue to encourage relevant parties in Myanmar to increase contacts and dialogues for the benefit of the people of Myanmar and regional peace and stability.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the Secretary-General welcomed and highly appreciated Vietnam's strategic thinking and correct approach; hoped that the parties would promote negotiations, towards completing a substantive and effective COC, based on international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, and for the benefit of ASEAN.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister and the Secretary General also discussed other related issues in ASEAN cooperation such as promoting Timor Leste's efforts to soon become a full member of ASEAN, and enhancing the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat through recruiting capable staff from other countries, including Vietnam.