Party General Secretary Tô Lâm (second left) and his wife meet ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and his wife at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday. —VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Tô Lâm, accompanied by his wife and a high-ranking delegation from Việt Nam, visited the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia on Monday.

Lâm, his wife, and the delegation were warmly welcomed by ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and his wife, along with the leadership team of the ASEAN Secretariat and ambassadors and heads of delegations from ASEAN member states.

Lâm’s visit to the ASEAN Secretariat underscores Việt Nam’s strategic commitment to ASEAN and reaffirms that ASEAN remains a key priority in Việt Nam's foreign policy in the new era.

Following the official welcome ceremony, Lâm planted a commemorative tree in the grounds of the Secretariat’s headquarters and presented a painting as a gift for display in the ASEAN Secretariat’s traditional exhibition room. The artwork is the seventh from Việt Nam in a collection of 142 pieces gifted by the leaders of ASEAN member states and partners.

During a working meeting with Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR), Lâm highlighted Việt Nam's long-standing commitment to and contributions towards the development of ASEAN over the past 30 years, in support of the organisation's noble goals.

Drawing from Việt Nam’s own experiences, Lâm said the country would continue its efforts to contribute to the common development of the ASEAN Community.

He also expressed pride in ASEAN’s significant global contributions and the substantial progress the organisation had made.

In line with the major directions discussed by Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Lâm emphasised that ASEAN must continue to be a united and cohesive bloc.

Only through unity, he argued, could ASEAN overcome the challenges of today’s complex global landscape.

Party General Secretary Tô Lâm (left) and ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn had talks on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

Bilateral cooperation between member states must also play an important role in strengthening ASEAN's collective power and advancing its shared development goals.

Lâm praised the ASEAN Secretariat's role in supporting cooperation across various ASEAN sectors, as well as its work with ASEAN's external partners.

He also commended the contributions of past ASEAN Secretaries-General.

Moreover, Lâm recognised the significant role and contributions of the ambassadors and CPR members in promoting cooperation plans and programmes aimed at building the community, enhancing connections among ASEAN members and fostering closer ties with ASEAN’s partners, thus boosting the overall effectiveness of the organisation.

He urged the CPR and the ASEAN Secretariat to continue their close coordination with member states to realise the ASEAN Vision 2025 and to successfully implement the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, along with other relevant strategic plans.

For his part, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn warmly welcomed Lâm’s visit and expressed his delight in receiving the top Vietnamese leader.

He described the first-ever visit by the Party General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam to the ASEAN Secretariat as a historic milestone, reflecting ASEAN’s important position in Việt Nam’s foreign policy.

The visit also marks the upcoming 30th anniversary of Việt Nam’s accession to ASEAN in 1995 and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015.

Secretary-General Kao said Việt Nam had made significant contributions to ASEAN and the ASEAN Community, and he expressed hope that Việt Nam would continue to play a leadership role within the organisation. — VNS