Aerial footage of Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm on June 20, 2021. (Photo: ST)
Hanoi (VNA) – A floating solarpower farm covering an area of 45ha was unveiled in Singapore on July 14,becoming one of the biggest of its kind in the world.
With 122,000 panels on Tengeh Reservoir, this isthe city-state's most ambitious project, built by the energy and urbandevelopment company Sembcorp Industries with support from the national wateragency PUB.
The new farm will produce enough electricity torun five water treatment plants and can produce up to 60 MW of electricity andwill lead to carbon emissions reductions equivalent to removing 7,000 cars fromroads.
Singapore is among the biggest per capita carbondioxide emitters in Asia, and its land scarcity makes boosting renewable energysources a challenge.
It has turned to setting up plants off itscoasts and in reservoirs, and aims to quadruple solar energy production by2025. Singapore has also built a solar farm in theJohor Strait, which separates the island state from Malaysia, as well as plantson land.
In February, its government unveiled a"green plan" that includes steps such as planting trees, reducingwaste sent to landfills, and building more charging points to encourageelectric car use.
The country has pledged to achieve net-zeroemissions "as soon as viable" in the second half of the century./.
Singapore has kept its position as the world's top shipping hub on the 2021 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Centre Development (ISCD) Index for the 8th consecutive year.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Singapore Mai Phuoc Dung on July 13 presented his credentials to Singaporean President Halimah Yacob who expressed her delight at the comprehensive development of the ties between the two countries in all fields, especially since both sides lift up relations to a strategic partnership in September 2013.
Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry on July 14 said that based on advance estimates, the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 14.3 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2021.
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.
Aerial footage of Sembcorp Tengeh Floating Solar Farm on June 20, 2021. (Photo: ST) 
