US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo affirmed on June 28 that the US welcomes the vision statement of ASEAN leaders, which was adopted at the recent 36th ASEAN Summit.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - US Secretary ofState Mike Pompeo affirmed on June 28 that the US welcomes the vision statementof ASEAN leaders, which was adopted at the recent 36th ASEAN Summit.
The diplomat tweeted “The United States welcomesASEAN Leaders’ insistence that South China Sea disputes be resolved in linewith international law, including UNCLOS. China cannot be allowed to treat theSCS as its maritime empire. We will have more to say on this topic soon.”
The South China Sea is known in Vietnam as theEast Sea.
He also included a link to the ASEAN Leaders'Vision Statement on a Cohesive And Responsive ASEAN: Rising Above ChallengesAnd Sustaining Growth.
The 36th ASEAN Summit was held via videoconferencing on June 26 under the chair of Vietnamese Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc. Vietnam is the Chair of ASEAN in 2020.
ASEAN leaders affirmed the importance ofmaintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigationand aviation in the East Sea.
They also emphasised the need to fully andeffectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in East Sea(DOC) and soon build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line withinternational law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law ofthe Sea (UNCLOS).
The bloc’s leaders expressed concerns over landreclamations, recent developments, activities and serious incidents, which haveeroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace,security and stability in the region.
They reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trustand confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that wouldcomplicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability and avoidactions that may further complicate the situation, and pursue peacefulresolution of disputes in accordance with universally recognised principles ofinternational law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.
They also emphasised the importance ofnon-militarisation and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities byclaimants and all other states that could further complicate the situation andescalate tensions in the East Sea.
Founded in 1967, the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) groups 10 member countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand andVietnam./.
Some US senators on January 15 congratulated Vietnam on assuming the Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an important multilateral organisation for advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc held an online talk on April 29 (US time) with US Congressman Joaquin Castro of Texas, who is Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on ASEAN,
Vietnam is living up to its ASEAN 2020 chairmanship theme of “cohesive and responsive” amid challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, tensions in the East Sea, and US-China trade tensions, according to a Singaporean-based scholar.
By successfully organising the teleconferenced 36th ASEAN Summit amid complex developments of COVID-19, Vietnam has once again affirmed its proactive and responsible chairmanship of ASEAN in 2020, which is also the common assessment shared by many foreign leaders and experts.
The ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) as part of the virtual 36th ASEAN Summit on June 26 was a success particularly in terms of the government – parliament connection, said Chairman of the National Assembly (NA) Committee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau on the sideline of the event.
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.
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.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
