Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, Head of Vietnam's ASEAN SOM, on September 1 chaired a virtual special meeting of ASEAN senior officials on the bloc’s external relations.
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Deputy Foreign MinisterNguyen Quoc Dung, Head of Vietnam's ASEAN SOM, on September 1 chaired a virtual special meeting of ASEAN senior officials on the bloc’s external relations.
During the meeting, the officials lauded Vietnam’s initiative toorganise the meeting, which gives a chance for participants to share opinionson ASEAN’s foreign relations, thus building a common strategic, comprehensiveand effective approach to the implementation of ASEAN's external affairs amidstthe rapidly and complicatedly changing situation in the region and the world.
They underlined that in relations with all partners, ASEAN’s central role must be placed at the top through positive, active andbalanced engagement.
The officials agreed that it’s time for the association to review itsrelations with outside partners, focusing on evaluating the contributions ofpartners to the completion of the region’s goals. They agreed to review the criteriafor the recognition of ASEAN’s partners, thus ensuring the bloc’s centralrole and meeting the demand and interest of partners.
Dung affirmed thesignificant role of partners in peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
He stressed the urgent need to build regulations to recognise partnershiprelations of the association in the current period, which he held that onceagain shows the active responsiveness of ASEAN.
The Deputy Foreign Minister called on all member countries to promptly complete thebuilding of criteria for the evaluation of external relations to submit toASEAN leaders./.
ASEAN plans to sign a pact on mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) for automobiles and building and construction materials in September with the aim of reducing production costs and fostering trade among members.
The ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG-PHE) reviewed cooperation within ASEAN in the fight against COVID-19 during its third meeting, held in the form of video conferencing, on September 1.
Over the last four decades, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) has become one of the most outstanding inter-parliamentary models in Asia and a symbol of solidarity, cooperation, and unity in diversity within the ASEAN Community.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA) 
