Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of Vietnam’s ASEAN SOM Nguyen Quoc Dung (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of Vietnam’sASEAN SOM Nguyen Quoc Dung chaired an online ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting onOctober 7.
The meeting drew the participation of the headsof SOMs of ASEAN member states and a deputy secretary general of the ASEAN.
Participants expressed their satisfaction with achievementsin ASEAN cooperation since the beginning of this year.
Under the lead of Vietnam in its role as 2020 ASEANChair, the ASEAN Community building process has been implemented on schedule, theysaid, while emphasising the importance of sub-regional development as well as theneed for ASEAN to coordinate cooperative activities in sub-regions.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the SOM reiteratedthe bloc’s stance expressed at the 36th ASEAN Summit and the 53rd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which affirms the importance of maintaining andpromoting peace, security, stability, and navigation and aviation safety and freedomin the East Sea.
Countries pledged to fully and effectively enforcethe Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and coordinate withChina to quickly complete negotiations for an effective Code of Conduct in the EastSea, which is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Conventionon the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The meeting also approved the Terms of Reference(TOR) on the establishment of an ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies (RRMS)and an ASEAN COVID-19 response fund.
They urged ASEAN medical officials to soon establishStandard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Public Health Emergencies Response. Theyalso exchanged opinions on a draft ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework andexpressed support for a plan to build a travel corridor between ASEAN countriesamid the complex developments of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Countries stressed the importance of ASEAN’s centralrole and backed Vietnam’s proposal to issue an ASEAN Plus 3 declaration on economicand financial self-reliance to respond to newly-emerging challenges.
Dung spoke highly of ASEAN members’ cooperationwith Vietnam and asked for increased coordination to complete existing initiativesin 2020 as well as initiatives in response to the pandemic.
He stressed that Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair in 2020,is exerting every effort to prepare for the 37th ASEAN Summit, slatedfor November./.
The second webinar of the sixth ASEAN - OCED Good Regulatory Practice Network Meeting took place on October 5 and discussed how to leverage digital tools for agile regulatory policymaking.
The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), in its capacity as Chair of the ASEAN Social Work Consortium, held a national consultation on October 5 in HCM City on promoting social work in the bloc.
The implementation of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOCA) Blueprint was reviewed at a virtual regional workshop on October 6 hosted by the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).
The second Think Tank Strategic Dialogue between ASEAN member states and the Republic of Korea (RoK) took place on October 6 with the theme “ASEAN-RoK Relations into a New Decade: Towards a Joint Strategic Vision”.
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.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The new framework is designed to ensure that incoming investments deliver tangible national benefits, such as the creation of high-quality jobs for Malaysians and the development of local company ecosystems and technologies.
Singapore led with a total of 8.8 billion USD in realised investment, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China, Malaysia, and Japan with 8 billion USD, 1.7 billion USD and 1.6 billion USD, respectively.
Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on August 7 outlined his strategy for tackling drug problems in Thailand, aiming for a "Zero Drugs Thailand" within three months.
The US has described Malaysia's role as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as vital in helping ease tension between Thailand and Cambodia.
Indonesia ranks as the world's sixth-largest gold reserve holder, producing an estimated 160 to 200 tonnes annually, mainly through major state-owned enterprises. Despite this, much of the mined gold is held or traded abroad. In 2024 alone, Indonesia exported gold worth 5.4 billion USD while reimporting 2.6 billion USD worth of the metal.
Cambodia and Thailand vowed not to undertake provocative actions that may escalate tensions, including entering the other side’s air space and territory, and refrain from constructing or enhancing military infrastructure.
Trenggono emphasised that the Indonesian government aims to increase the total coverage of MPAs to 97.5 million hectares by 2045. This initiative forms a key component of the “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision, which prioritises sustainable maritime development and environmental protection.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Head of Vietnam’s ASEAN SOM Nguyen Quoc Dung (Source: VNA) 
