ASEAN flag‑raising ceremony in Hanoi marks 59th anniversary

On 31 July, Vietnam held a flag‑raising ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Hanoi to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the 31st year of Vietnam’s membership. The event was presided over by Foreign Minister Le Hoài Trung and attended by ambassadors, senior government officials and representatives of ASEAN member states and partners.

Le Hoài Trung stressed that the ASEAN flag symbolizes shared identity, solidarity and common aspirations. He outlined three priority pillars for the bloc – delivering concrete results for citizens, strengthening resilience, and preparing for the future through innovation, human‑capital development and responsible use of new technologies. The ceremony coincided with Vietnam’s commemoration of the August Revolution, reinforcing themes of independence, self‑reliance and regional cooperation.

ASEAN now comprises 11 Southeast Asian nations with a combined economy of about US$3.9 trillion and a population of nearly 700 million. The minister highlighted the upcoming ASEAN chairmanship of the Philippines and its theme “Navigating together toward our future,” underscoring the bloc’s commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in a rapidly changing world.