Jakarta, Indonesia, 10 July 2026 — H.E. Dr. Chheang Vannarith, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Assembly of Cambodia and Chairman of the National Assembly Advisory Council, on Thursday participated in the inaugural ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Lecture Series in Jakarta.
The inaugural lecture was delivered by H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, who highlighted ASEAN's principles of openness, inclusiveness, dialogue, and cooperation amid an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
During the event, H.E. Dr. Chheang Vannarith participated as a panelist in a symposium marking the 10th anniversary of Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative. The symposium examined the evolution of AOIP and FOIP and explored practical ways to strengthen cooperation between the two frameworks.
Addressing the symposium, H.E. Dr. Chheang Vannarith emphasized the strong political consensus among regional partners to strengthen synergy between the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
He also underscored the importance of promoting people-centered governance, strengthening international cooperation, and enhancing capacity building, particularly in maritime law, to support peace, stability, and sustainable development across the Indo-Pacific.
The event was co-organized by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), bringing together policymakers, diplomats, scholars, and regional experts to advance a shared vision for a peaceful, resilient, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
