Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Lao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone signed an agreement on upgrading their bilateral relations to a comprehensive partnership in Melbourne on March 6 on the occasion of the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (centre) giving an address to the Leaders' Plenary during the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, on March 6 (Photo: AP)
Melbourne (VNA) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and hisLao counterpart Sonexay Siphandone signed an agreement on upgrading theirbilateral relations to a comprehensive partnership in Melbourne on March6 on the occasion of the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit.
The partnership is expected to drivebilateral cooperation across four pillars, reflecting the two countries’ sharedpriorities for the future: people, education and human resource development; economics,trade and investment; climate, environment and energy; and defence and lawenforcement.
Australia’s Southeast Asia EconomicStrategy to 2040 identified agriculture and food, resources and green energy askey areas of opportunity for Australian business in Laos. The comprehensive partnershipwill also support Laos to maximise sustainable development in these sectors.
Prime Minister Albanese also announced thatAustralia has committed 3 million AUD (1.95 million USD) to Monash University’sWorld Mosquito Programme to assist in the elimination of dengue fever in Laos.The programme will fund research and allow Australia to share world-class knowledgeand resources to manage the spread of this disease in the Southeast Asiancountry.
Earlier, PM Albanese also had a bilateral meetingwith Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddinWaddaulah.
The leaders welcomed the excellent state ofthe bilateral relationship following the historic elevation to a comprehensivepartnership in June 2023, and acknowledged their countries’ shared interests incontributing to economic prosperity and regional stability for the benefit oftheir people.
They reiterated the importance ofdeveloping a joint plan of action to implement the comprehensive partnership,as well as their commitment to promoting a region that is stable, peaceful,prosperous, secure and resilient, and underpinned by international law,including the United Nations Charter and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (UNCLOS), sovereignty, open markets and the rules-based internationalorder.
They also reaffirmed their commitment toASEAN Centrality, and the ASEAN-led regional architecture and welcomed theimplementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific through concreteprojects and activities./.
Tourism cooperation under the “Six Countries, One Destination” initiative, rising airfares and investment in the food industry were among the topics discussed at a meeting between Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim on March 5.
Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son had a meeting with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong on March 5 within the framework of the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit commemorating the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations in Melbourne.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his fiancee chaired an official welcome ceremony in Melbourne on March 5 afternoon (local time) for heads of delegations to the ASEAN - Australia Special Summit that marks the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN - Australia dialogue relations.
Australia on March 5 announced its plan to increase investment in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASSEAN) by setting up a 1.3-billion-USD finance package to boost trade and investment in the region.
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.
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.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone (centre) giving an address to the Leaders' Plenary during the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, on March 6 (Photo: AP) 
