The second ASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit takes place virtually on November 14 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi(VNA) – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on November 14 outlined newinitiatives to support ASEAN’s economic recovery efforts post COVID-19.
They include 70million AUD for resilience and recovery in Southeast Asia and a 232 million AUDpackage for the Mekong region, focusing on the environment, infrastructure,cyber, and critical technologies and scholarships.
Addressing the secondASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit, held online on the day, PM Morrison commendedVietnam and ASEAN for their strong response to COVID-19 in the spirit of acohesive and responsive ASEAN.
The leader saidAustralia is ASEAN’s partner in the great recovery that is occurring, notingASEAN’s centrality is the core of Australia’s vision for Indo-Pacific.
Australia remainscommitted to working with the region and helping the region recover fromCOVID-19.
According to the PM, Australiarecently committed some 500 million AUD over three years to support access tosafe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
“Safe effectiveaccess to affordable COVID-19 vaccines will be the central factor in ourcollective recovery, Morrison said,” he stressed.
In a media statementreleased on November 13, the PM said ASEAN remains at the heart of Australia’svision for a peaceful, stable, inclusive, sovereign, prosperous and resilientIndo-Pacific. ASEAN has a central role to play in the region’s recovery and thepost COVID-19 regional order.
Australia is proud tobe a Strategic Partner of ASEAN and its oldest Dialogue Partner, he said.
The Australian leadercongratulated Vietnam for its stewardship as ASEAN Chair during a verychallenging year.
At the summit, VietnamesePrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Australia was one of the mostlong-standing partners of ASEAN with relationship established in 1974. Over thepast four decades, the bilateral relationship has been increasinglystrengthened in different spheres.
ASEAN welcomesAustralia’s consistent policy on accompanying the region for a long-term andsupporting the bloc’s centrality, he noted.
The two sides agreedto hold the summit annually instead of biennially as a foundation to furtherdeepen and substantially promote the important relationship./.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, expected to be signed on November 15 within the framework of the 37th ASEAN Summit in Hanoi, will be the world’s largest free trade agreement (FTA) and is a significant boost for ASEAN businesses, including those in Vietnam, according to insiders.
2020 is the year that Vietnam was poised to make progress on its rise as a regional leader, Italy-based Inter Press Service said in its article published on November 13.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plays a central role in the region’s recovery and the post-COVID-19 regional order, said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
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.
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.
The second ASEAN-Australia Biennial Summit takes place virtually on November 14 (Photo: VNA)
