ASEAN hopes for stronger relations with Africa

ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has expressed his hope for strengthened ties between ASEAN and South Africa, as well as between the bloc and the African Union and the Southern African Development Community.
ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has expressed his hope forstrengthened ties between ASEAN and South Africa, as well as between thebloc and the African Union and the Southern African DevelopmentCommunity.

He made the remark while meeting with South AfricanAmbassador to ASEAN Pakamisa Augustine Sifuba recently, who presentedhis letter of credence.

As ASEAN is pushing ahead to buildits community in 2015, the expansion of its external relations with newand emerging partners - especially countries and organisations fromAfrica and Latin America - is also high on the grouping’s agenda, henoted.

Ambassador Sifuba expressed South Africa ’skeen interest in further exploring cooperation with ASEAN in areas ofmutual interest such as trade, investment, people-to-people contacts,South-South cooperation, and the sharing of experience in regionaleconomic integration.

On this occasion, SecretaryGeneral Minh and Ambassador Sifuba discussed international and regionalissues of common concern, including the United Nations (UN) reform andinternational efforts to promote non-proliferation.

Theyunderlined the importance of maintaining peace and stability to create aconducive environment for development in the two regions, as well asenhancing coordination in wider international forums such as the UN andthe G-20.

Sifuba succeeded Noel N. Lehoko, who finished his tenure as South African Ambassador to ASEAN in December 2013.-VNA

See more

Chinese tourists entering Vietnam through Huu Nghi International Border Gate, Lang Son. (Photo: VNA)

Culture, tourism give wings to China-Vietnam relations: expert

In her article posted on the Global Times of China, Liu Xiangyan, associate researcher of the Institute of International Studies at the China Tourism Academy, wrote that with the improvement of transportation networks and enhanced regional cooperation, the two countries have become each other's major markets of tourist sources.

Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam (R) receives Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping (Photo: VNA)

Top Chinese leader’s state visit to Vietnam a great success: Chinese foreign ministry

Vietnam and China agreed to continue promoting the bilateral friendship, supporting each other in pursuing the socialist path that suits the conditions of each country, enhancing strategic trust to a new level, building a more substantial security cooperation pillar, and utilising opportunities to develop China's new high-quality productive forces and Vietnam's new productive forces to strengthen a broader, more comprehensive cooperative model.

Vietnam-China economic and trade ties are expected to rise to a new level. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Vietnam-China trade poised for new heights

Bilateral business relations have witnessed remarkable progress, especially in recent years, with Vietnam introducing key national strategies such as the National Green Growth Strategy for 2021-2030, vision towards 2050; the National Strategy on R&D and Application of Artificial Intelligence; and the National Strategy for 4th Industrial Revolution.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (Photo: Reuters)

Singapore dissolves parliament ahead of general election

According to a government statement, 97 parliamentary seats will be contested in this election - four more than in the previous term. Nomination Day has been set for April 23, with the official polling date expected to be announced later today.

Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz (Photo:businesstimes.com.sg

Malaysia takes measures to soften US levy impact

Among the steps announced are the enforcement of anti-dumping duties, countervailing taxes and safeguard measures to shield domestic industries from redirected exports stemming from global trade tensions.