On the afternoon of February 26, 2025, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended a working lunch themed “A Future-ready ASEAN: Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies” on February 26 within the framework of the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum 2025.

The event also saw the presence of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste; and representatives of leading global and Vietnamese technology corporations such as Intel, Nvidia, Google, Huawei, Viettel, Sovico, and MK Group.

Within the framework of the discussion, Mr. Nguyen Trong Khang, Chairman of MK Group, delivered a speech proposing the initiative ASEAN OneID initiative – A Unified Digital Identity system that enables seamless authentication and verification across all 10 ASEAN countries. It is built on core technologies such as: Blockchain & Decentralized Identity; Biometric Authentication, AI & Data Analytics, Interoperability Standards, and ICAO standards

With ASEAN OneID, nearly 700 million people in ASEAN will immediately benefit from:

• Seamless Travel: Acts as a regional travel card for easier border crossings, reducing reliance on passports.
• Economic Integration: Facilitates banking, e-commerce, and business registration across ASEAN without excessive paperwork.
• Public Services Access: Citizens can use healthcare, education, and government services in any ASEAN country.
• Digital Transactions: Secure authentication for online services, payments, and financial transactions.
• Security & Anti-Fraud: Reduces identity fraud and enhances security cooperation.

Southeast Asia currently has over 460 million digital customers, and experts predict that the region's digital economy will exceed 300 billion dollars by 2025 and reach over 1 trillion dollars by the end of this decade. Therefore, efforts to accelerate ASEAN's digital transformation play a crucial role," Mr. Khang emphasized.

In conclusion, Mr. Khang stated: “This initiative represents a bold and transformative step towards establishing ASEAN as a sustainably prosperous socioeconomic bloc and achieving an Unified ASEAN Digital Identity. Especially, ASEAN OneID is not just a technology project, but also a testament to the solidarity and determination of the member states in building a self-reliant and prosperous ASEAN community.”