Hanoi, May 27 -- Speaking at an international press briefing on May 26, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong said the forum was first proposed by the Vietnamese Prime Minister during the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia in September 2023. Following successful editions in 2024 and 2025, the forum has gradually emerged as an open dialogue platform that complements ASEAN's formal mechanisms.

AFF 2026 holds special strategic importance for Viet Nam as it will be the country's first major high-level multilateral diplomatic event following the success of the 14th National Party Congress, the election of the 16th National Assembly, and the consolidation of key Party and State leadership positions.

He said the forum stands as a testament to ...