Participants discussed and agreed on strategic solutions to improve cooperation through ASEAN’s multilateral and bilateral mechanisms. They adopted the conference's joint statement and agreed on a draft joint action plan to strengthen cooperation in combating criminal fugitives.
Transnational crime in the ASEAN region, particularly high-tech crime, human trafficking, terrorism, drug-related crime and online fraud, have continued to increase in number and become more complex and serious amid developments in the global and regional situation.
Minister of Public Security General Luong Tam Quang said amid deepening globalisation and international integration, transnational crime in general and crimes committed by wanted persons in particular have become increasingly complex, posing major challenges to law enforcement agencies in the region and around the world.
The meeting, held in the Lao capital of Vientiane from September 28-29, brought together representatives from ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat to strengthen regional cooperation in information and media.
Vietnam is the resilience story. Its projected growth moderates slightly from its exceptional post-2016 pace, but remains around 5% — a rate that would be remarkable for most advanced economies.
According to StartupBlink, Da Nang’s GSEI score increased by 154% between 2025 and 2026, the highest growth among Vietnam’s ranked urban start-up ecosystems.
Local industrial parks and clusters will focus on attracting investment in light industry, multi-sector industries and environmentally friendly projects, as well as safe industrial products and services, cybersecurity products and services, and big data and cloud computing products and services, including AI applications based on national big data.
Vegetable prices soared during the month, mainly due to prolonged heavy rains in Hanoi and northern provinces, which flooded and damaged vegetable farming areas and reduced supplies.
Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs Milena Rangel said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste is coordinating with other ministries and agencies to develop and finalise necessary legal instruments for integration, with nearly 50 targeted for completion in 2026 - 2027.
The protocol provides for fair treatment of businesses, free movement of investment capital and profits, and compensation for losses caused by war, conflict or other circumstances. It is expected to strengthen legal protection, improve the investment environment and encourage greater investment flows.
Economic ministers from ASEAN countries and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have agreed to promote a “closer and more practical” economic partnership.
At Exercise Trident Resolve 2026, the Vietnamese delegation shared experience from overseas search and rescue operations, while learning from ASEAN member states and partner countries to further enhance its capacity to conduct such operations when required.
Wang Jicai, Secretary General of the CAEXPO Secretariat, said exhibition space for AI increased 60% from the previous edition, while the number of participating companies rose 48% year on year to 296.
The Vietnamese booths attracted a large number of visitors, particularly young Cambodians, helping promote Vietnam’s land, people and businesses while creating opportunities for greater people-to-people interaction within the ASEAN Community.
This is the first time Timor-Leste has participated in CAEXPO as ASEAN’s 11th member and also the first time it has served as a co-organiser of the event.
SurAndino has published a piece by Luis Lizama Barrientos, a specialist at the Chilean Centre for Studies on the Democratisation of Knowledge (CEDECON), detailing Vietnam's contributions over 30 years after joining ASEAN.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh said a safe AI future must be built on each country's governance capacity and trust among partners. Vietnam, therefore, wishes to work with China and ASEAN member states to contribute to such a future for the benefit of the people and the prosperity of the region.
Investors are drawing a clearer distinction between economies driven by cyclical growth and those capable of converting growth momentum into sustainable, risk-adjusted returns.
Over the years, through educational, cultural, and tourism activities, the expo has helped build bridges of friendship among the peoples of the bloc and China, with education playing an important role.
The 2026 ASEAN–Guangxi trade and industrial cooperation and exchange conference took place in Nanning, China, on September 16.
Vietnam is expected to remain the region’s fastest-growing economy while Thailand is projected to record slower growth than its regional peers.
The ranking reflects the country’s preparations to protect government data, financial transactions, digital identities, communications systems and essential services from future cybersecurity threats posed by advances in quantum computing.
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Peng Qinghua said China and ASEAN are good neighbours, friends and partners sharing a common future. Since the establishment of dialogue relations in 1991, ties have developed strongly and become one of ASEAN’s most substantive and dynamic dialogue partnerships.
The seat accorded to ASEAN at the 18th BRICS Summit is a statement to the stature, credibility, and convening power of the organisation. It affirms ASEAN’s indispensable role in the wider global economic dialogue, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has affirmed.
In a message delivered at the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Disaster Resilience in Pasay City, President Marcos said Southeast Asia remained the world’s most disaster-prone region, where more than half of global disaster-related deaths from 2004 to 2014 occurred.
Strengthening connectivity among the three countries would help them better leverage their respective advantages and expand links with broader regional frameworks, including the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and ASEAN, said Prof. Dr. Le Van Loi, VASS President.
The 32nd SLC meeting focused on macroeconomic and financial developments and key issues in ASEAN financial integration.
ASEAN membership could help Timor-Leste expand market access, strengthen investor confidence and promote regional economic integration, while providing impetus for institutional reforms and improvements to the business environment.
