ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee holds consultation with partners
The ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee held an online consultation with dialogue partners and other partners on August 26 under the chair of Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of Vietnam’s delegation to ASEAN.
Diplomats at the online consultation between ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee and partners on August 26 (Photo: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) – The ASEAN ConnectivityCoordinating Committee held an online consultation with dialogue partners andother partners on August 26 under the chair of Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, headof Vietnam’s delegation to ASEAN.
Partner countries highly valued the progress inthe implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 despiteCOVID-19 caused difficulties facing many projects.
Ambassadors of ASEAN’s partners, including theUS, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Germany, Canada, NewZealand and Norway, applauded the bloc’s efforts in enhancing connectivitywithin ASEAN, as well as between the bloc and partners.
They affirmed that their countries will continueassisting ASEAN to implement projects within the MPAC 2025 in particular andconnectivity projects in general, such as the US-supported ASEAN Single Window,the ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship Programme, and the Japan-supportedASEAN Smart Cities Network, so as to promote the connectivity in the ASEANCommunity building, between the bloc and partners, and in regional economicrecovery and development.
At the consultation, participants also discussedmeasures to bolster the MPAC 2025 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, affirming thatthe strategic areas in this master plan highly match the post-COVID-19 recoveryplan of ASEAN.
They underlined the need to strengthen thecoordination and connectivity between the MPAC 2025 and some connectivityinitiatives of partners, and to step up the implementation of statementsbetween the bloc and its partners, including the ASEAN Plus Three Leaders’Statement on Connecting the Connectivities Initiatives, the Joint Statement of the22nd ASEAN-Japan Summit on Connectivity, and the ASEAN-China Statement onSynergising the MPAC 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiative.
The MPAC is a strategic plan adopted by ASEANleaders in Hanoi in October 2010, aiming to bolster connectivity within thebloc, along with between ASEAN and partners, towards a seamlessly connectedASEAN community. Regional leaders approved the MPAC 2025 in Vientiane, Laos, inSeptember 2016 with a vision of creating a seamlessly andcomprehensively connected and integrated ASEAN./.
As ASEAN Chair 2020, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended and delivered a speech at the Standard Chartered-ASEAN Business Forum 2020 themed “Unlocking the region’s potential”, which was televised on international medial channels.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the Czech Republic Thai Xuan Dung received the rotary chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague (ACP) from Indonesian Ambassador Kenssy D. Ekaningsih at a ceremony on August 25.
The handover ceremony was held at the Malaysian Embassy headquarters in Mexico City on August 8, with the presence of heads of diplomatic missions from ASEAN member states in Mexico.
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.
Diplomats at the online consultation between ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee and partners on August 26 (Photo: VNA) 
