The 48th ASEAN Summit took place on May 8, 2026, in Cebu, Philippines. At the invitation of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., the Chairman of the ASEAN 2026, Viet Nam Prime Minister Le Minh Hung led the high-level delegation attending the summit. This was the Prime Minister's first multilateral diplomatic activity as head of government, and it was part of the implementation of Viet Nam's independent, multilateral, and international integration foreign policy.

Ahead of the Summit, preparatory ministerial and specialized council meetings took place on May 7th, including the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council (APSC), the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC), the ASEAN Economic Community Council (AECC), and a joint meeting between the Foreign Ministers and Economic Ministers. These meetings focused on reviewing the progress of intra-ASEAN cooperation, agreeing on agenda items, and preparing documents for submission to the Summit. On May 8th, the ASEAN Leaders' Summit was held, focusing on assessing the regional situation, defining strategic directions, and promoting cooperation initiatives.

During its 2026 chairship, the Philippines shapes the ASEAN agenda with the theme “Nevigating Our Future, Together”, focusing on three main pillars: strengthening regional peace and security; promoting prosperity through economic integration and digital transformation; and enhance empowerment and expand opportunities for the people. Based on this, the Meeting held discussions on issues related to strengthening intra-ASEAN economic connectivity, improving supply chain resilience, and responding to global challenges such as geopolitical instability, energy security, and food security.

Within the framework of the Summit, Viet Nam participated in discussions and contribute to key ASEAN cooperation areas, including issues related to ensuring energy security, maintaining stable food supply chains, and strengthening coordination mechanisms for protecting citizens in conflict zones. At the same time, Member States discussed the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and reviewed the progress of the ASEAN Integration Initiative (IAI) Work Plan Phase V (2026–2030), aiming to narrow the development gap and strengthen intra-ASEAN linkages.
The Meeting was held against the backdrop of a continuously changing regional and global environment, thereby continuing to maintain its role as a high-level forum for ASEAN countries to exchange views, coordinate policies, and promote regional cooperation in priority areas./.

Source: Compiled by the Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam