Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son speaks at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Langkawi, Malaysia, on January 19, 2025.

It was the first key event under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, which was chaired by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan and attended by foreign ministers from ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretary-General, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste as an observer.

Deputy PM Son praised ASEAN’s achievements in 2024 under the chairmanship of Laos, calling them a solid foundation for the region to further enhance cooperation in 2025. He expressed strong support for the theme and priorities proposed by Malaysia, and reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to close coordination in performing the outlined tasks and initiatives.

He underlined the importance of maintaining unity within ASEAN and reinforcing the bloc's central role. Mr. Son said he expects the situation in Myanmar to stabilize soon.

He highlighted the importance of maintaining ASEAN’s unity and principled stance, reaffirming Vietnam’s commitment to implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and advancing substantive and effective negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), aiming to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, cooperation and sustainable development.