President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta in the interview with Vietnamese media. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta spotlighted the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025, Việt Nam - Timor-Leste cooperation, and Timor-Leste’s efforts to join ASEAN during an interview recently granted to the press.

He expressed hope that the AFF will become a necessary, indispensable forum that would involve many countries beyond the region.

Praising Việt Nam's remarkable achievements across various sectors, including impressive economic growth, equitable wealth distribution, he noted that such have earned the respect of the international community.

Therefore, hosting this forum is entirely in line with Việt Nam's position. The topics discussed here are diverse, especially in the current global context, which presents both challenges and opportunities, he said.

According to the President, Việt Nam is actually also pioneering in digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and global connectivity. In Timor-Leste, Telemor, which is a Viettel subsidiary, is now the top operator against two or three others. He hoped that both nations will expand bilateral economic and trade ties for mutual benefits, including telecommunications and connectivity.

He also expected to see a greater Timor-Leste - Việt Nam partnership in agriculture, food security, water resources, pharmaceuticals, and health care; as well as more Timor-Leste students coming to Việt Nam, and more Vietnamese investments in Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste has billions of dollars in sovereign fund that the government has been using to invest in the stock market internationally, the President noted.

About Timor-Leste’s journey of joining ASEAN, he said Việt Nam's support, along with the consensus from Cambodia, Laos, and other regional countries, has helped Timor-Leste walk into ASEAN with greater confidence.

In closing, he added that Timor-Leste, with its stability and peace, wishes to contribute to the region’s unity and common development. — VNS