AKP Phnom Penh, December 03, 2025 --

ASEAN NEXT 2025 opened today in Phnom Penh, affirming ASEAN’s commitment to advancing science, technology and innovation as catalysts for modern manufacturing and economic growth across the region.

The event brought together regional leaders, experts, and industry representatives under this year’s theme: “The Role of Infrastructure Technology and Innovation in Successful Manufacturing.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation, emphasised that manufacturing competitiveness in the 21st century is no longer driven solely by low-cost labour, but by knowledge, digital systems, and advanced technology. “Our competitiveness is equally determined by the soft infrastructure—the intangible yet powerful frameworks of technology, innovation, and human capital,” he said.

The Minister highlighted Cambodia’s efforts to build a future-ready industrial ecosystem — including the feasibility study for a new Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) Park, progress toward establishing a National R&D Fund, and the drafting of a technology transfer law to strengthen innovation frameworks across the country and region.

The forum’s priorities were echoed by ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Kao Kim Hourn, who linked the gathering’s objectives to the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2026-2035, calling it the region’s “shared compass.”

He stressed that modern logistics, energy, digital connectivity, and smart infrastructure are foundational to resilient manufacturing supply chains. Noting that only 16.8 percent of ASEAN small firms currently provide employee training, he urged member nations to aggressively expand technology adoption and workforce upskilling.

Dr. Song Jianyuan, Deputy Director of the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Centre, underscored the importance of continued ASEAN-China technological cooperation, highlighting expanding bilateral programmes with nine ASEAN nations and a growing innovation network of more than 2,900 participating organisations.

“This forum directly addresses ASEAN countries’ needs for industrial upgrading and digital transformation,” Dr. Song Jianyuan said. He expressed confidence that scientific collaboration would drive high-quality regional economic growth and unity.

At the forum, ASEAN member states and China expressed commitment to collectively advance a cooperative roadmap emphasising rapid adoption of advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, and robotics; accelerated workforce skill enhancement; policy harmonisation; and platform-based collaboration through mechanisms like ASEAN-COSTI, the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Innovation Corridor, and the upcoming APASTI framework.

“In Cambodia, we are not merely observers of this global shift; we are actively participating by building a robust ecosystem for the future,” Minister Vanndy added, calling the forum “a platform to turn strategic objectives into concrete outcomes.”

ASEAN NEXT 2025 in Phnom Penh over the next two days aims to align regional innovation policy, strengthen cross-border partnerships, and accelerate ASEAN’s transition to high-value, technology-enabled production.

AKP-MISTI