"Colors of ASEAN": When Culture Becomes a Bridge
	ASEAN Strengthens Cultural and Social Cooperation Toward Inclusive and Sustainable Development

According to VASS, the conference served as an important academic forum to review the three-decade journey of Viet Nam’s participation in ASEAN; assess Vietnam’s achievements and contributions to the process of building the ASEAN Community; and exchange views and discuss emerging issues as well as orientations for cooperation in the context of profound regional and global changes.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Le Van Loi, President of VASS, stated that Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN on July 28, 1995 marked a significant historical milestone, not only opening up new development space for the country but also contributing to the consolidation of peace, stability, and cooperation in Southeast Asia. According to Prof. Dr. Le Van Loi, the most overarching benefit that ASEAN has brought to Vietnam is a peaceful and stable regional environment - an essential foundation for ensuring security and socio-economic development.

Prof. Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, delivers the opening remarks at the conference. (Photo: VASS)

He affirmed that in the economic sphere, participation in ASEAN and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has created favorable conditions for Vietnam to expand markets, attract investment, promote growth, reform institutions, and enhance the competitiveness of enterprises, thereby enabling the country to participate more deeply in regional and global value chains. Under the socio-cultural pillar, ASEAN cooperation has helped Vietnam strengthen cultural exchanges, address issues related to social welfare and the environment, and deliver tangible benefits to the people within a peaceful and stable environment.

Assessing Vietnam’s role and contributions within ASEAN over the past 30 years, Prof. Dr. Le Van Loi noted that Vietnam’s journey in ASEAN has left notable marks. From a country gradually integrating into the region, Vietnam has risen strongly to become an active, proactive, and responsible member, contributing to the overall development of the ASEAN Community. Vietnam’s role within ASEAN has been increasingly recognized thanks to its active and effective contributions across multiple fields, as well as its sustained political and economic stability and its steadily enhanced international standing. Vietnam’s outstanding contributions are reflected in several aspects, including: promoting ASEAN unity and centrality; contributing to the building of a strong ASEAN Community; successfully chairing numerous important conferences and events; actively participating in regional and international cooperation mechanisms; and advancing connectivity and sustainable development.

Alongside these achievements, Prof. Dr. Le Van Loi also pointed out major challenges facing ASEAN, such as strategic competition among major powers, intra-bloc issues, non-traditional security challenges, and the need to renew development models in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In this context, Vietnam continues to steadfastly uphold its foreign policy priority of working with ASEAN to build a strong, united, and resilient community, making positive contributions to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.

Ambassador of Malaysia to Vietnam Dato’ Tan Yang Thai. (Photo: VASS)

At the conference, Dato’ Tan Yang Thai, Ambassador of Malaysia to Vietnam, representing the ASEAN Chair in 2025, spoke highly of the 30-year journey of Vietnam alongside ASEAN. The Ambassador affirmed that Malaysia has always strongly supported Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN and noted that the 1995 milestone made an important contribution to shaping ASEAN into a unified, dynamic Southeast Asian community with an increasingly prominent role on the international stage.

According to Ambassador Dato’ Tan Yang Thai, Vietnam is currently one of ASEAN’s most dynamic members, making active and meaningful contributions not only to economic development but also to the promotion of ASEAN centrality, intra-bloc unity, and the expansion of the Association’s external relations. The Ambassador also shared key outcomes from Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, particularly efforts to advance the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, strengthen resilience, promote green and digital transitions, and preserve ASEAN’s inclusive identity through welcoming Timor-Leste as the 11th member.

According to Dr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Director of the Institute for Asia-Pacific Studies, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN was not only a sound strategic choice but also reflected a strong spirit of innovation and a long-term vision regarding the country’s position, role, and future within the regional and international architecture, especially amid profound global transformations. Through ASEAN, Vietnam has gradually enhanced its international standing, evolving from a country in the early stages of renewal into a trusted partner, a pillar of cooperation and stability, and an active member contributing to shaping the region’s future.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong emphasized that Vietnam has consistently pursued proactive integration, remained steadfast in its long-term strategic thinking, and made substantive contributions to regional processes across multiple fields, including the economy, security, science and technology, and innovation. In the context of increasingly complex regional and global developments that require ASEAN to continuously adapt, innovate, and strengthen its resilience, the organization of a conference reviewing and assessing 30 years of Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN is of particular significance. Accordingly, scholars and delegates engaged in in-depth and comprehensive discussions on achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, helping to clarify Vietnam’s role and contributions within ASEAN, while also exchanging views on ASEAN’s development prospects through 2045, toward building a resilient, cohesive, highly adaptive, and innovation-driven Community.

Delegates attending the conference pose for a commemorative photo. (Photo: VASS)

Following the opening session, the conference continued with two thematic panel discussions: “30 Years of Vietnam-ASEAN: Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons Learned” and “ASEAN 2045: Toward a Resilient, Connected, and Adaptive Community,” featuring numerous in-depth presentations by domestic and international scholars and experts.

Through the conference, the Organizing Committee expects to further clarify the three-decade journey of Vietnam’s participation in ASEAN, contribute additional scientific and practical foundations for policymaking, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and quality of Vietnam’s integration, while working together with ASEAN to shape a peaceful, prosperous, and people-centered future.

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