Hanoi leader pledges to boost ties with Laos

Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão’s official visit to Vietnam and participation in the 3rd ASEAN Future Forum from June 7 to 10, 2026, is considered a highly significant event, particularly for Timor-Leste’s integration process as a newly admitted ASEAN member and for the future development of the ASEAN Community.

PSNews - Nearly six decades after its founding, ASEAN is entering a new phase of transformation. Geopolitical turbulence, intensifying competition among major powers, non-traditional security challenges, and rapid technological change are raising fundamental questions about the region’s future trajectory. In this context, the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 is more than a platform for regional countries to discuss current issues; it is designed to identify strategic pathways for ASEAN in the years ahead.

General Secretary and President To Lam asked the AI experts to help connect Vietnam with international resources, technology enterprises, investment funds, research institutions, and leading global experts to develop human resources, technology businesses, and innovation capacity.

PSNews - According to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang, the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) in Hanoi will feature a wide range of activities, including plenary sessions on resilience, conflict prevention, artificial intelligence (AI), energy security, and development models.

Vietnam has full historical evidence and legal grounds to affirm its sovereignty over Hoang Sa in accordance with international law, said spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang on June 4.

Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone will pay an official visit to Vietnam and attend the third ASEAN Future Forum from June 7 - 9, while Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet will pay an official visit to Vietnam and participate in the forum from June 8 - 9.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam urged the Vietnam Trade Union to reform more rapidly, deeply and substantively. It must work together with the State, enterprises and training facilities to improve workers’ professional qualifications, digital skills and adaptability.

VGCL President Nguyen Anh Tuan said achievements obtained over the past ternure reflect the close guidance of the Party, effective coordination among State agencies, local authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations, support from employers and, above all, the dedication and innovation demonstrated by trade union officials, members and workers across the country.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasised the need to further improve institutions and policy frameworks, develop digital infrastructure and data resources, and create the necessary conditions for science, technology, innovation and digital transformation to become new drivers of economic growth.

Prof. Huang Rihan of Huaqiao University in China’s Fujian province said the Vietnamese leader’s address highlighted three major crises currently facing the world - the crisis of the international order, the crisis of development models, and the crisis of strategic trust.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang said that alongside the robust growth of relations between the two countries, defence cooperation has continued to develop extensively and intensively, becoming increasingly practical and effective.

Adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 24, 2024, and opened for signature in Hanoi in October 2025, the convention is the first global multilateral treaty dedicated to combating cybercrime.

The visits also took place at a time when the Philippines is serving as ASEAN Chair in 2026, Singapore is preparing to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027, and Vietnam is set to host the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2027.

Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, expressed her emotion at seeing the children’s optimism despite difficult circumstances, noting that both Vietnam and the Philippines place children at the centre of their development policies, from education, health care to child protection.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, his spouse and a high-level Vietnamese delegation departed Manila on June 1, concluding a successful state visit to the Republic of the Philippines from May 31 to June 1 at the invitation of Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his spouse.

Participants reviewed rental housing demand in each area, considering different market segments and target groups. They also examined the gap between supply and demand, and pinpointed issues in policy frameworks.

Vietnam and the Philippines have agreed to elevate their relationship to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership, opening a new phase of cooperation in politics, defence and security, economic ties and other key areas.

Vietnam and the Philippines on June 1 issued a Joint Statement on the Enhanced Strategic Partnership during General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President To Lam’s state visit to the Philippines.

Economic cooperation between Vietnam and the Philippines should move to a new level, with greater emphasis on quality, depth and substance, as the two countries seek to maximise opportunities under their newly upgraded Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

Party General Secretary and State President To Lam and his spouse are paying state visit to the Philippines from May 31 to June 1 at the invitation of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and his spouse.