Illustrative image. (Photo: thestar.com.my) 
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.
Vietnam and Querétaro can share experience in developing industrial clusters, aerospace industries and government-university-business partnerships, while exploring cooperation in energy, environment, infrastructure, high technology, artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
Southeast Asia is facing profound changes driven by major power competition, conflicts, climate change, and growing concerns over energy, food and technology security. As these interconnected challenges increasingly transcend national borders, ASEAN needs stronger cooperation while maintaining its unity and centrality.
The discussions come as the State Bank of Vietnam and Bank Indonesia near the end of their co-chairmanship term, marking another step in their cooperation to advance ASEAN's sustainable finance agenda.
The Ambassador of Indonesia, the country holding the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN in Argentina, stressed that maintaining peace and stability, along with an open, transparent regional environment based on mutual respect, are fundamental conditions for a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
The agenda aims to narrow healthcare gaps among member states, ensuring that people across the region have access to appropriate health services, while supporting the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang urged ASEAN to make full use of existing mechanisms to enhance dialogue, build trust and prevent risks and conflicts, particularly by strengthening the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), and cooperation based on international law.
The President noted Timor-Leste is pursuing sustainable development, stronger regional connectivity and expanded international cooperation while seeking investment opportunities in energy, tourism and emerging economic sectors to reduce its dependence on oil and gas revenues.
The festival features films from six ASEAN member states, namely Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand, along with the three ASEAN+3 partners of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
One of the key milestones is the launch of the ASEAN Strategic Health Agenda (ASHA) 2026-2030, which will serve as the region’s health roadmap for the next five years.
According to the CAEXPO Secretariat, Vietnam will once again lease an entire exhibition area of about 3,000sq.m, featuring 170 booths, making it one of the ASEAN countries with the largest exhibition spaces at this year’s event. Nearly 100 Vietnamese businesses have confirmed their participation, including major brands such as Trung Nguyen Group, TH Group, Saigon Coffee and Biti’s.
The official visit to Vietnam by Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing from September 4-6 opened a new chapter in bilateral ties and contributed to regional peace and prosperity, while highlighting Vietnam’s constructive and pragmatic role in maintaining ASEAN unity and credibility.
Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan highlighted Vladivostok's important role as a gateway connecting Russia with the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam. He noted that 2026 marks the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations.
China-ASEAN trade cooperation is shifting from expansion in scale toward higher-quality growth, with greater emphasis on trade liberalisation, supply-chain connectivity and emerging fields such as the digital and green economies.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Truong Thang noted that ADMM+ has consistently served as an open and inclusive cooperation mechanism allowing nations with legitimate interests to contribute to peace, stability, and development.
