International media laud Vietnam’s potential for economic recovery
Vietnam has earned the highest trust globally in battling COVID-19, with 95 percent of respondents expressing such a belief in a recent poll by UK data analysis and market research firm YouGov.
Hanoi (VNA) - ജVietnam has earned the highesttrust globally in battling COVID-19, with 95 percent of respondents expressing sucha belief in a recent poll by UK data analysis and market research firm YouGov.
The country has reported 332 COVID-19 cases to date, ofwhich 317 have recovered. Most notably, there have been no fatalities. Of the remaining 15 patients in hospital, only nine havetested positive for SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19. The Financial Times ran an article highlighting thatHanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are “roaring back to life after theircoronavirus-related partial lockdowns.” It emphasised the disciplined public health response adoptedby the Vietnamese Government, companies, and people, adding that the country isgetting back to a “new normal”. “Vietnam’s schools, restaurants, cinemas, andnightclubs are all open again, while football matches at stadiums packed withcheering spectators have been allowed to resume,” it continued. While a second wave of infections is a risk in somecountries, Vietnam has gone 55 consecutive days with no new communitytransmissions. It was among the first countries to be hit by thevirus, after China, and is now among the first to emerge from the worst of thecrisis, the paper said. The country undertook rigorous contact-tracing,locating not just primary but secondary contacts of infected people and bringingthem into quarantine. It is now considering reopening its borders to somecommercial flights, with safeguards in place, the article said, adding theprospects for recovery look relatively bright for Vietnam, with an economicgrowth projection of 5 percent this year./.
Member of Japan’s House of Representatives Takagi Tsuyoshi spoke highly of Vietnam’s achievements in battling the COVID-19 pandemic when hosting a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Vu Hong Nam on May 26.
Germany’s Marzahn-hellersdorf portal has run an article pointing to factors that contributed to Vietnam’s success in its battle against COVID-19, which include early action, contact tracing, and communications.
Reuters news agency has run an article featuring stadiums in Vietnam with thousands of fans on June 5, as the country resumed top-flight football matches without social distancing measures or curbs on crowd sizes.
The European Union – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), recently ratified by the Vietnamese legislature, will not only help Vietnam boost production and exports but also enable European firms to increase their presence in this emerging Asian nation, said the German media.
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.
Workers in a factory in Vietnam (Photo: EPA) 
