On May 7-8, 2026, the 48th ASEAN Summit centered on reaffirming the 11-member bloc’s role in addressing traditional and non-traditional security issues and further strengthening ASEAN’s regional resilience (ASEAN, 2026, para.1). Throughout these discussions, the bloc continued operating through the ASEAN Way of consensus and non-interference. Held in Cebu, Philippines, here are the four developments that stood out as key results of the said summit in anticipation of the 49th ASEAN Summit.

Given the historical backdrop, the Trump administration's move to halt USAID aid at the end of January 2025 stirred up a major shift in U.S.-Vietnam relations. Through reflecting the Vietnamese Government's reaction to funding cuts, this article aims to show that, while the Vietnamese Government expresses concern that the cut in international funding has affected war remediation, the Vietnamese Government holds a complex stance towards USAID or, in a broader sense, its comprehensive strategic