Hanoi, June 8 -- A series of side events held in Hanoi on June 8 within the framework of the third ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2026 focused on the strategic role of the Mekong subregion and the contribution of young people as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) works towards realising the its Community Vision 2045. Speaking at a seminar on the Mekong in the bloc's subregional cooperation architecture, Nguyen Manh Dong, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, stressed that Mekong cooperation should be viewed not merely as a collection of separate initiatives but as an integral component of the community-building process. Hoang Thi Ha, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, described the Mekong basin as...