UK steps up cooperation with Southeast Asian nations
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom Dominic Raab is on a visit to Indonesia and Brunei on April 7-9 to consolidate trade and security ties as well as promote cooperation in addressing global challenges with the two nations.
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK Dominic Raab (L) and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo: EPA)
Jakarta (VNA) – Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth andDevelopment Affairs of the United Kingdom Dominic Raab is on a visit to Indonesiaand Brunei on April 7-9 to consolidate trade and security ties as well as promotecooperation in addressing global challenges with the two nations.
He met Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi todiscuss the UK – Indonesia trade partnership, valued 3.75 billion USD eachyear.
The two foreign ministers clinched a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) onanti-terrorism cooperation.
According to Marsudi, both sides agreed to boost collaboration acrosshealthcare, enhance defence cooperation, and speed up economic recovery byadding ten cooperative priorities, including wood and agricultural products.
A MoU on the UK – Indonesia inter-committee on economy and trade will be signedon April 7 to intensify the implementation of those cooperative priorities.
In an official announcement on April 7, Marsudi said she voiced Indonesia’sconcern over the UK’s new bill, which requires accountability of severalagricultural products such as palm oil, cocoa and rubber, expressing her hopethat both nation can work together to surmount the issue.
They also discussed international issues.
Raab also met with ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi as the UK wants toenhance relations with this regional bloc.
Following the Indonesia visit, Raab is scheduled to visit Brunei to attendseveral high-level meetings on April 8, discussing trade, climate change andsecurity issues.
He will pay a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Brunei before meeting withForeign Minister Dato Erywan.
The UK wants to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), in which Brunei and many other ASEAN statesare members.
He will also attend the second UK – ASEAN ministerial dialogue before returningLondon.
The UK sees the Indo-Pacific significant in its foreign strategy./.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Tran Ngoc An has affirmed that Vietnam, as Chair of ASEAN in 2020, supports stronger collaboration between ASEAN And the UK across trade and investment, as well as cooperation for peace, security and development.
Vietnam and the UK issued a “Joint Declaration on the Vietnam - UK Strategic Partnership: Forging Ahead for Another 10 Years” after the talks in Hanoi on September 30 between Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and UK First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dominic Rabb. Following is the full text of the joint declaration.
Vietnam and the United Kingdoms are speeding up negotiations on a new-generation free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides, which is expected to be completed at the year’s end.
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.
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK Dominic Raab (L) and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (Photo: EPA) 
