ASEAN conducts technical review relating to SEANWFZ protocol
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin said the measure reflects ASEAN’s continued efforts to strengthen global commitment to the principle of nuclear non-proliferation and to make Southeast Asia a fully nuclear weapon-free zone.
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – The Association of Sout🎀heast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is currently conducting a technical review of the participation of major powers in the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), including the possibility of their placing ‘reservations’ on their commitments to the t🐎reaty.
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin said the measure reflects ASEAN’s continued efforts to strengthen global commitment to the principle of nuclear non-proliferation and to make Southeast Asia a fully nuclear weapon-free zone.
This matter is being reviewed by the SEANWFZ Commission through discussions held at the senior official and executive committee levels, he said at a media briefing on July 6.
The SEANWFZ Treaty, or the Bangkok Treaty, was signed in December 1995 in Bangkok by the 10 ASEAN member countries and took effect in March 1997.
Under the protocol, every nuclear weapon state (NWS) must adhere to the ꦿSEANWFZ Treaty, not contribute to any act that constitutes a violation of the treaty or its protocol, not use or threaten to u🐼se nuclear weapons against any state party to the treaty, and additionally, not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons within the zone./.
The police has taken appropriate measures to ensure high preparedness ahead of this meeting, and the main focus is on the security of VIPs, traffic control and handling emergencies, he said, adding the team will use sophisticated technologies such as facial recognition systems and explosives detection to ensure the event runs smoothly.
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi called for the upcoming ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy to prioritise real-time collaboration among member states in areas such as incident response, digital forensics, secure data sharing, and policy harmonisation.
The regional workshop on gender lens perspective on business and human rights in ASEAN from June 30 to July 1 features five discussion panels, including one chaired by Vietnam’s representative to AICHR, Nguyen Thanh Trung, focusing on mainstreaming gender perspectives into policies, processes, mechanisms, and business operations.
MITI said the decision to impose the duties, in the form of a bank guarantee and ranging from 3.86 to 57.90%, was made after preliminary investigations found sufficient evidence that these imports were brought into Malaysia at dumped prices.
The launching of the WebD platform is part of its efforts to combat illegal websites in Thailand. The platform uses AI technology to streamline the process of identifying and blocking illegal URLs, improving the speed and efficiency of the operation.
The new Thai Labour Minister's five policies include equipping Thai workers with AI skills by focusing on developing AI curricula aligned with the manufacturing and service sectors and providing all worker groups with skill training through cross-sector collaborations.
Hyper-competition in China's electric vehicle sector is spilling over to its biggest market in Asia, Thailand, as smaller players struggle to compete with dominant BYD, putting ambitious local production plans at risk.
Laos is home to over 500 fish species, which play a vital role in maintaining the country's ecological balance and represent an important part of its natural heritage. Each year, nationwide activities are held to raise public awareness, especially among young people, about the importance of conserving aquatic life and protecting ecosystems.
Mount Lewotobi, standing at 1,584 metres, last erupted in November 2024, claiming nine lives and displacing thousands. It is one of Indonesia’s 127 active volcanoes, as the country lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for intense tectonic and volcanic activity.
Ambassador Binh and other representatives highly appreciated the role of the ASEAN Chair - Malaysia - in coordinating and leading ASEAN cooperation to achieve many advances, gradually concretising the orientation of "inclusivity and sustainability".
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has issued an urgent weather alert for 33 provinces across the North, Northeast, Central and South, warning of flash floods, forest runoff, landslides and rising water levels in major rivers, particularly the Mekong, between July 6 and 12.
The project is a collaboration between the Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy, the Directorate of Armament of the RTAF and the RTAF's Research and Development Centre for Space and Aeronautical Science and Technology.
The Japanese Government hopes that the transfer of used destroyers to the Philippines will qualify as a form of defence cooperation, as the ships would be modified to meet the specific operational needs of the Philippine side.
In its article published on July 6, Reporte Asia stated that Vietnam has held key international roles, including ASEAN Chair in 1998, 2010, and 2020; the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forums in 2006 and 2017; and the member of the UN Human Rights Council in 2014–2016 and 2023–2025, demonstrating its commitment to dialogue and joint problem-solving.
The piece praised the dynamic momentum of the Vietnam – Brazil relationship, describing it as a vibrant symbol of South–South cooperation in an increasingly multipolar and competitive world.
According to the Brazilian government-run Planalto news site, during their talks on July 5 (local time), PM Chinh and President Lula da Silva celebrated the excellent status of the bilateral relations as well as the progress made since the latter’s state visit to Hanoi last April.
With a vibrant economy, a population nearing 100 million, and deep integration into global supply chains, Vietnam brings to Brazil the story of a nation that has evolved from isolation to becoming a trusted and active participant in shaping multilateral frameworks.
The primary consideration for granting visa-free entry to Brazil and Turkey is reciprocity, as both countries already offer visa-free entry to Indonesian citizens.
This is considered the second largest cumulative penalty imposed by MAS for breaches related to anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
The sharp rise has raised concerns over a potentially severe forest and land fire season in one of Indonesia’s wildfire-prone regions over the past decade.
In the absence of a deal, Washington could impose a 36% tariff on all imports from Thailand as soon as July 9, compared with the 10% baseline tariff in effect now.
According to the official, the digital economy has played a key role in lifting the Thai economy. In the past five months, the value of digital exports tallied 860 billion THB (26.54 billion USD), up 35% year-on-year.
