ASEAN Connectivity Must Go Beyond Infrastructure to Drive Regional Transformation, Says Sun Chanthol

PHNOM PENH, Mar. 4, 2026 (KPT) – ASEAN must treat connectivity as a strategic driver of economic transformation rather than simply a matter of roads and bridges, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol said Tuesday.

Speaking at the Cambodia–ASEAN Business Summit, Chanthol told business leaders and policymakers the region faces rapid change from technological disruption, industrial restructuring, geopolitical uncertainty and climate transition.

“In such a time, ASEAN cannot afford fragmentation,” he said, stressing that connectivity should strengthen trade, supply chains and integration.

He noted ASEAN’s agenda has advanced from the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 to the new Strategic Plan 2026–2035, aimed at building a more resilient regional economy.

Chanthol, also First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), said connectivity must now cover digital systems, logistics platforms, regulatory harmonization and energy networks.

“In today’s economy, competitiveness depends not only on how goods move, but also on how data moves,” he said.

He highlighted energy cooperation, including the ASEAN Power Grid, expected to boost electricity trade, strengthen security and support industrial growth.

“Industry of the future will not flourish where connectivity is weak, where logistics are fragmented, or where energy is uncertain,” Chanthol said.