The tenth meeting of the APEC Port Services Network (APSN) Council under the Transportation Working Group (APTWG) was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18.
The 10th meeting of the APEC Port Services Network Council under the Transportation Working Group takes place in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18 (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) –The tenth meeting of the APEC Port Services Network (APSN) Council under theTransportation Working Group (APTWG) was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 18.
Delegatesat the event updated the APSN Five-Year Strategic Plan between 2014 and 2018,noting that the plan is important to setting directions for the organisation andthe next Council meeting.
Regardingthe handling of dangerous goods at ports, they agreed that there is a need forupdated dangerous goods guidelines for this region that would consider thenature of APEC economies and their different levels of development.
TheCouncil decided to compile best practices on the settlement of dangerous goodsat APEC ports.
Themeeting also reviewed outcomes of the 2017 APSN Workshop on Restructuring ofShipping and Port Industry: Trends and Challenges that took place in HCM Cityon August 15-16, 2017.
TheCouncil endorsed the proposed Action Plan for 2018, which sets forth majormeetings and activities organised by APSN, APEC transportation meetings, andspecific studies and projects.
Theplan also mentioned the APSN Five Year Strategic Plan during 2019-2023 withstrategic directions, key objectives and specific actions of APSN in the nextfive years.
TPTWG’s objective is to achieve the liberalisationof transportation services and works to enhance the safety of APEC transportsystems to encourage economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.
It also aims to balance security, safety, andenvironmental requirements with trade facilitation. These efforts are focusedon: facilitation of domestic policy regulations; development of intermodalsupply chains and secure transport activity; integration of corporate socialresponsibility; and building the capacity of all stakeholders to help themreach the eventual goal of free and open trade.
Parallel measures are undertaken byindividual economies to strengthen the security of all transportation modes -land, sea and air.-VNA
Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, at the plenary session of ABAC’s third meeting in 2017 in Toronto on July 26, urged the business community in APEC economies to actively join the forum’s activities this year.
APEC needs to become an open, innovative and inclusive region with a long-term vision to create sustainable and inclusive growth, heard the third APEC Business Advisory Council meeting in Toronto, Canada.
Representatives of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies discussed investment in dynamic and healthy aging for sustainable growth at a multilateral forum opened in Ho Chi Minh City on August 15.
All officers and policemen in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho will be mobilised to ensure security and safety for the APEC 2017 Food Security Week and High-Level Policy Dialogue on Enhancing Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Response to Climate Change scheduled for August 21-25.
The lotus flower and Ngu Hanh Son Mountain in the central city of Da Nang have been chosen as designs for postage stamps celebrating the APEC Year 2017 in Vietnam.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.