On September 24, the general debate for the 79th session of the General Assembly opened in New York. This year’s theme emphasized “leaving no one behind” and the importance of international togetherness in pursuing peace and sustainable development. The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war and the expansion of the Israel-Hamas conflict into Lebanon were among the top discussion topics.
This year’s General Assembly was sparsely attended by Southeast Asian heads of government and state. Only Vietnamese general secretary and president To Lam headed a delegation. Lam arrived on September 21 and addressed the chamber for the first-ever Summit of the Future conference on September 22, urging global togetherness in ensuring the well-being of humanity in adherence to the United Nations Charter.
On September 25, Lam met with U.S. president Joe Biden on September 25 on the sidelines of the General Assembly. Fresh from recent trips to China and Russia, Lam continues to play a delicate balancing act between great powers in continuing Vietnam’s longstanding bamboo diplomacy approach. Lam lauded the steady progress of the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral partnership, while Biden marked the growth in bilateral commercial cooperation. Economic cooperation remained a key theme in their private discussions; however, Vietnam’s non-market economy status was likely a continued point of contention. In meetings with prominent U.S. business leaders earlier in the week, Lam rallied the business community to support Vietnam’s bid to exit the non-market economy list.
Also attending from the region was Cambodian deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs Sok Chenda Sophea, who addressed the Summit of the Future on September 23. Crucially, Chenda Sophea participated in dialogues with the foreign ministers of Vietnam and Laos. With Cambodia’s recent withdrawal from the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Triangle Development Area on September 20, this trilateral dialogue was a key opportunity to discuss future coordination and cooperation.
For Indonesia and Malaysia, the ongoing situation in Gaza and the escalations in Lebanon were of top concern. Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi met with the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to express Indonesia’s support for refugee assistance. Meanwhile, Malaysian foreign minister Mohamad Hasan spoke with Palestinian prime minister Mohamad Mustafa and affirmed Malaysia’s support for Palestine. All 10 members of the Associate for Southeast Asian Nations and Timor Leste joined the majority of countries voting in favor of a resolution compelling Israel to end its presence in Palestine within 12 months.
In the wake of continuing tension in the South China Sea, the Philippines announced its intention to file a resolution with the General Assembly protesting Chinese incursions on its maritime claims. Philippine ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez suggested that some 20 nations would convene to discuss Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.
Japhet Quitzon is a Research Associate for the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.
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