On the morning of June 8, within the framework of the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF), a dialogue titled “The Role of Southeast Asian Political Parties in Building the ASEAN Community” was held in Hanoi.
Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and delegates. Photo: Pham Hai
Opening the event, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung said the first-ever dialogue among Southeast Asian political parties was taking place at a time when both the world and the region were undergoing rapid, profound and far-reaching changes.
Speaking at the 2026 Shangri-La Dialogue, General Secretary and State President To Lam noted that the world is facing three major crises: a crisis of the international order, a crisis of development models, and a crisis of strategic trust. These crises are becoming increasingly visible across the Asia-Pacific region and are directly affecting the daily lives of people throughout Southeast Asia.
Minister Le Hoai Trung said Southeast Asian countries are confronting new challenges in their development journeys, while many traditional growth drivers are facing mounting obstacles. Trade liberalization, globalization, and regional and international economic integration are all encountering strong headwinds.
Despite the complexity of the current environment, the minister expressed confidence in ASEAN’s future, emphasizing that the bonds connecting ASEAN members are becoming stronger across political-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars. ASEAN’s presence is also becoming increasingly visible in the daily lives of people across the region.
He stressed that overcoming challenges and preserving unity and strategic autonomy requires ASEAN cooperation to extend beyond governments and parliaments. It must also be strengthened through the political foundations of each member state - its political parties. Enhancing cooperation among Southeast Asian political parties is not merely an exchange initiative but a strategic necessity.
Against that backdrop, Minister Le Hoai Trung raised several key questions: How can cooperation and trust among Southeast Asian political parties be strengthened? How can successful experiences in governance and party-building be shared more effectively? And how can political parties contribute more meaningfully to the process of building the ASEAN Community?
Bounleua Phandanouvong, Head of the External Relations Commission of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, said trust serves as the lifeblood and adhesive that binds the international community together. Strengthening trust among Southeast Asian political parties, he noted, is critically important.
He called for greater dialogue and exchanges of experience among political parties, stronger efforts to promote regional socio-economic connectivity, and collective support for ASEAN’s central role in addressing emerging geopolitical challenges.
Cheuy Vichet, Director of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, emphasized that ASEAN’s achievements are not solely the result of intergovernmental cooperation. Political parties have also played a significant role by fostering mutual understanding, ensuring policy continuity and strengthening people-to-people solidarity.
Political parties are central actors in nation-building and regional integration. They shape national visions, guide development strategies and maintain close connections with citizens. Strengthening trust and cooperation among Southeast Asian political parties is therefore essential to building a stronger ASEAN Community.
ASEAN’s journey has also demonstrated that diversity is not a weakness but a source of strength. Building trust among political parties in Southeast Asia is not simply about deepening political ties - it is about safeguarding the future of the ASEAN Community. A united ASEAN requires shared commitment, a resilient ASEAN requires trust, and a self-reliant ASEAN requires collective political will.
Vietnam prioritizes cooperation with political parties
Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung. Photo: Pham Hai
Lee Hong Chuang, Member of Parliament and representative of Singapore’s People's Action Party, highly valued political dialogue as a means of strengthening trust and mutual understanding among ASEAN countries.
He referred to General Secretary and State President To Lam’s recent visit to Singapore, during which the two countries elevated strategic cooperation by establishing a strategic dialogue mechanism between the Communist Party of Vietnam and Singapore’s People's Action Party. The mechanism creates a high-level platform for exchanges on national governance, public administration and national development.
Jakkapong Sangmanee, Deputy Leader of Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party, said all regional cooperation efforts must ultimately aim to improve people’s lives.
Although citizens live in different countries, they face many common challenges, including rising living costs, economic uncertainty and the impact of global disruptions. Building a people-centered ASEAN Community, he said, should remain a top priority for governments and political parties alike.
According to Jakkapong Sangmanee, political parties are not only responsible for shaping policies but also for ensuring those policies deliver tangible benefits to citizens. Drawing on Thailand’s experience in universal healthcare and community development, he argued that effective policies must focus on improving quality of life, strengthening social welfare and empowering citizens to participate in development.
Speaking at the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong emphasized that although countries across the region have different political systems and development realities, their political parties share responsibility for ASEAN’s peaceful, stable and prosperous future.
Strengthening trust, mutual understanding and dialogue among political parties, as well as between political parties, research institutes and scholars, plays a practical role in reinforcing ASEAN unity and cohesion. It is also a key factor in helping ASEAN enhance its adaptability and maintain its central role amid a rapidly changing environment.
Political parties serve as important channels for reflecting the aspirations of the people, thereby helping strengthen social consensus and advance the process of building the ASEAN Community.
Nguyen Manh Cuong said that dialogue among political parties is increasingly becoming an important component of the region’s political trust-building architecture - a space where ideas, experiences and consensus are formed and accumulated, providing long-term support for ASEAN cooperation.
For Vietnam, promoting cooperation with political parties around the world, particularly in Southeast Asia, remains a priority in implementing the country’s foreign policy and international integration strategy.
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