TLDR: Cambodia’s Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Chea Vandeth, participated in the ‘ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025’ in Kuala Lumpur, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to AI security, governance, and digital transformation. The summit, attended by 5,000 participants, aimed to foster regional cooperation and innovation in artificial intelligence.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Cambodia has demonstrated its strong commitment to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation by actively participating in the ‘ASEAN AI Malaysia Summit 2025’, held in Kuala Lumpur from August 12-13, 2025. The event, which concluded on August 14, brought together approximately 5,000 participants, including ministers, digital sector leaders, senior officials from ASEAN member states, and representatives from international organizations and the private sector.
Cambodia was represented by Chea Vandeth, Minister of Post and Telecommunications, who attended the summit at the invitation of Gobind Singh Deo, Malaysia’s Minister of Digital. The summit’s opening ceremony was presided over by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Organized by the Ministry of Digital of Malaysia, the summit served as a pivotal platform to showcase development progress and promote enhanced cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence across ASEAN, particularly highlighting Malaysia’s significant efforts and achievements in the sector. Key themes discussed included AI sovereignty, innovation, regulatory harmonization, digital public infrastructure, and talent development, with a unified purpose to shape a sustainable, secure, and inclusive AI future for Southeast Asia.
Minister Vandeth played a prominent role, participating in a panel discussion alongside his counterparts from Malaysia and Brunei. During this session, he shared Cambodia’s insights and progress on the preparation of a draft national AI strategy, designed to guide the nation’s economic and social development. He further underscored Cambodia’s priorities regarding AI security and its readiness to integrate regional AI governance frameworks. This includes the development of crucial legal frameworks and policies pertaining to personal data protection, cybersecurity, cloud technology, data governance, and AI ethics.
In addition to the panel, Minister Vandeth contributed to a roundtable discussion titled ‘Towards a Unified ASEAN Approach to Responsible AI and Digital Trust’. To bolster cooperation and exchange experiences on digital transformation, he also held several bilateral meetings. These included discussions with Minister Gobind Singh Deo of Malaysia; Pengiran Dato Shamhary Pengiran Mustapha, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications of Brunei; Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu, Minister of Transport and Communications of Timor-Leste; and David L Almirol, Undersecretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology of the Philippines.
Further strengthening regional ties and seeking support for Cambodia’s major digital initiatives, Minister Vandeth held courtesy meetings with Terry He, President of Huawei Asia-Pacific Region, and Khailee Ng, Managing Partner at 500 Global, a venture capital firm focused on digital startups. These engagements aim to foster a robust, vibrant, and trusted digital ecosystem within Cambodia.
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With over 1,500 regional delegates and more than 150 exhibitors expected, the summit also featured the ASEAN AI Trade Show, ministerial roundtables, youth forums, and exclusive showcases of AI use cases across various sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and fintech. The event underscored Malaysia’s leadership as the Chair of ASEAN and its commitment to advancing responsible AI development through regional solidarity and action.
