The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony takes place in Hà Nội on Friday. VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI – An ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony took place in Hà Nội on Friday to mark the bloc’s 59th anniversary (August 8, 1967–2026) and the 31st anniversary of Việt Nam’s accession to ASEAN (July 28, 1995–2026).

The event saw the presence of ambassadors and chargé d’affaires of ASEAN member states and partner countries, along with officials from the National Assembly, Government agencies and the Hà Nội People’s Committee.

In his speech, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung hailed the ASEAN flag a symbol of shared identity, solidarity and common aspiration. He said this year’s event carries added significance as it coincides with Việt Nam’s 81st August Revolution anniversary (August 19, 1945–2026), reinforcing the enduring values of independence, self-reliance, solidarity and cooperation.

He said ASEAN has grown from a historic decision to replace division with dialogue and confrontation with cooperation into a community of peace, progress, and shared prosperity, with an economy worth US$3.9 trillion and a population of nearly 700 million. It is emerging as a dynamic single market powered by integration, innovation, connectivity and competitiveness.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung delivers a speech at the ceremony on Friday.

Facing a world of intensifying competition and volatility, ASEAN is entering a new era that demands stronger collective effort under the Philippines’ chairmanship and the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”, Trung said, noting the grouping has made headway in the first year of delivering the Community Vision 2045 across three pillars of peace and security, prosperity, and empowering people.

To shape its future and maintain autonomy in the face of changes beyond its control, he laid out three core priorities, including results, resilience and readiness.

On “results”, he said the bloc’s success must be measured by practical outcomes, turning commitments into seamless trade, stronger connectivity, better jobs and improved public services. That requires ASEAN to make a sharp pivot from processes to outcomes, from consultation to coordinated action, and from consensus in principle to consensus in action.

“Resilience”, he said, remains the cornerstone of ASEAN’s strength, enabling it to absorb geopolitical shocks, safeguard common interests and maintain strategic autonomy, especially as the bloc marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) this year.

"Readiness", the minister added, will define a future-oriented ASEAN by proactively embracing change, fueling innovation, developing the workforce and responsibly applying technology to maintain competitiveness, flexibility and preparedness. By building trust, deepening cooperation and developing homegrown regional solutions, ASEAN can further reinforce its role not merely as a contributor to regional stability but as a shaper of the regional order.

Marking 31 years since Việt Nam joined ASEAN, Trung affirmed the bloc as not only a strategic priority and a central pillar of Việt Nam’s foreign policy, but also a common home and an inseparable part of the country’s global integration.

The event saw the presence of ambassadors and chargé d’affaires of ASEAN member states and partner countries, along with officials from the National Assembly, Government agencies and the Hà Nội People’s Committee.

As Việt Nam enters a new era with aspirations to achieve its two centenary goals of becoming a country with modern industry by 2030 and a developed, high-income country by 2045, the future of Việt Nam and fellow member states is tightly intertwined with ASEAN’s shared success.

A strong ASEAN will create greater opportunities for Việt Nam while a strong Việt Nam will make more meaningful contributions to the ASEAN Community, he said, adding that Việt Nam will continue to grow together with ASEAN and contribute to the shared vision of a resilient, innovative, dynamic and people-centred ASEAN Community.

On the occasion, Trung called on countries to keep fostering partnerships, embrace innovation and work together to ensure that ASEAN remains a steadfast anchor for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world. VNA/VNS