The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) opens in Singapore on April 27. (Photo: VNA)
Singapore (VNA) ൲– The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’Meeting (AMM) opened in Singapore on April 27 ahead of the 32nd ASEAN Summit.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh isleading the Vietnamese delegation to the event. The AMM will discuss progress in implementing the region’skey initiatives and review the process of building the ASEAN Community alongwith future orientation for the work. Ministers will also look at the pace of blueprints oncarrying out the ASEAN Community Vision to 2025 and adopt the agenda of the 32nd ASEAN Summit along with the list of documents to be submitted to the bloc’sleaders. Ministers will debate ASEAN priorities under theSingaporean-sponsored theme of Resilient and Innovative, including an idea onbuilding a network of smart cities in the region. Relevant regional and international issues of commonconcern, including the East Sea, new developments on the Korean peninsula, terrorismand extremism, maritime security and some other non-conventional security matters,are also on the AMM’s agenda. Also on April 27, several important events will take place,namely the 17th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Councilmeeting and the 21st ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) meeting. To ensure safety for the ASEAN Summit and related meetings,host Singapore has tightened security around all meeting venues and the country’sentry gates. Singapore is the Chair of ASEAN in 2018. The bloc groups 10 Southeast Asian nations, which are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. -VNA
The 32nd ASEAN Summit will take place on April 27-28 in Singapore under the theme of “Building a Resilient and Innovative ASEAN”, with the participation of leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers on April 24 issued a statement on the situation in Syria, urging all involved parties to work towards a sustainable political solution through dialogue and negotiation.
The eight meeting of the senior officials of the agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal affairs among ASEAN countries opened in Hanoi on April 26.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung attended a meeting in Singapore on April 26 to review preparations for the 32nd ASEAN Summit which will take place in the island country on April 27 and 28.
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.
The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) opens in Singapore on April 27. (Photo: VNA) 
