Vietnam attends 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Vientiane
Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, led a Vietnamese delegation to the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-57) in Vientiane, Laos on July 25.
Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, head of SOM delegation of Vietnam (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA)꧂ – Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, led a Vietnamese delegation to the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-57) in Vientiane, Laos on July 25.
In his speech, Viet commended Laos for its chairmanship role and expressed support for the theme and priorities of ASEAN this year. He said ASEAN's resilience lies in its ability to maintain unity, centrality, strategic autonomy and capacity to respond to shifts in the global and regional landscapes.
Underscoring the importance of ASEAN connectivity, Viet highlighted a community-wide approach, the expansion of agenda connectivity in the fields of sustainable infrastructure, electricity networks, electric vehicle ecosystem, cross-border payment, and supply chain resilience. He also highlighted the need to align sub-regional cooperation with ASEAN's overall progress to help sub-regions optimise their development potential and leverage new growth drivers.
In its relations with partners, the bloc should request countries to respect its central role both in words and actions, ensuring effective and meaningful cooperation, he said. Viet reaffirmed ASEAN's principled stance on global and regional issues, and laid stress on the necessity of adhering to and fully and effectively implementing all provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and at the same time creating an environment conducive to negotiations on a quality, substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (UNCLOS).
At the meeting, heads of delegations discussed ways to further deepen ASEAN’s relationship with partners, bolster cooperation in traditional areas while expanding into new potential ones. They also underlined the importance of maintaining an open, transparent, inclusive, rules-based regional structure with ASEAN at its core.
ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings with partner countries under the ASEAN 1 framework will continue on July 26./.
Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith underscored the importance of maintaining unity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) amidst global political upheavals at the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Vientiane on July 25.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative on Eurasian security architecture when he attends events within the framework of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-57) and related meetings in Laos, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko.
A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, who is also head of the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) delegation of Vietnam, attended the Meeting of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Interface with the Representatives of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in Vientiane on July 24.
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.
