The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has delivered tangible benefits to Southeast Asia through major infrastructure projects like the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway and the China-Laos railway. Ahead of the Chinese president's state visit to three ASEAN nations, the region's Master Plan on Connectivity 2025 is showing growing synergy with the China-proposed BRI, and the upcoming ASEAN Community Vision 2045 will further integrate regional connectivity. In this exclusive interview, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn highlights the growing impact of these projects as public goods, enhancing trade, logistics and mobility across the region.