Hanoi (VNA)𝓰 – Singapore has become the world’s latest “blue zone” which is defined as a place where people live longer andhealthier lives.
The term “blue zone” wascoined by Dan Buettner. The five original blue zones are: Ikaria (Greece), Okinawa(Japan), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Sardinia (Italy) and Loma Linda (United States)but Singapore is on Buettner’s new list, dubbed “blue zone 2.0.” While the original blue zones came about by naturalcircumstances, blue zones 2.0 are man-made. According to Buettner, Singaporehas the highest health-adjusted life expectancy in the world. So whateverSingapore did, it worked at producing the longest, healthiest life on theplanet. He said the old blue zonesare disappearing as mechanization isreplacing physical activity and technology is disconnecting people fromface-to-face interactions.” Buettnerspecifically mentioned factors that promote Singaporean people’s health together with the country's policies. For example, Singaporeans often walk because their mobility mainly relies on public transport and owning a car in thisisland nation is very costly. Singapore also encourages children tolive with or near parents and relatives through a policy offering incentives of housing costs, instead of sending the elderly to nursing homes. So thehealth of the elderly is also better as they receive thorough care.
Additionally, Singapore is at theforefront of popularising healthy foods. The country has created programmes thatencourage food establishments to offer healthier options.
✨ The country has promoted programmes to curbsmoking suchas imposing high tobacco taxes. Moreover, Singaporeans enjoyuniversal health care which means residents have access to quality medicalcare, including health services such as prevention, treatment, rehabilitationand palliative care. The government has worked to create policies thatsubsidize health-care costs./.
Singaporean Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng announced on March 4 that the country’s retirement and re-employment age will be raised to 64 and 69, respectively, on July 1, 2026.
About 50,000 Singaporean public servants are being appointed as election officials and will receive training in April in preparation for the upcoming election in the country to be held no later than November 2025.
India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on March 25 met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and some other leaders of Singapore, during which they discussed ways to further the strategic bilateral ties, and the situation in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia regions.
Singapore was the largest foreign investor in Vietnam in the year to March 20 with over 2.55 billion USD, making up 41.3% of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) registered in the country, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA).
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.
Illustrative image (Photo: Getty Images) 
