Vietnam will perform well as ASEAN Chair 2020: ASEAN Secretary General
ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi has welcomed Vietnam to hold the Chair of ASEAN in 2020, noting that the country has made big steps forward and become one of the key economies in the grouping.
ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi (R) and Vietnamese Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Source: VNA)
Jakarta (VNA) - ASEANSecretary General Lim Jock Hoi has welcomed Vietnam to hold the Chair of ASEANin 2020, noting that the country has made big steps forward and become one ofthe key economies in the grouping.
Talking to the Vietnam NewsAgency correspondents in Indonesia on the occasion of the ASEAN’s 52nd founding anniversary (August 8), the Secretary General suggested Vietnam focuson continuing the grouping’s agenda such as promoting sustainable developmentand coping with climate change.
He also asked Vietnam to promoteintra-bloc cooperation, and pay attention to personnel management andcooperation.
The ASEAN Secretariat iscommitted to coordinating closely with Vietnam to build the agenda for nextyear, the Secretary General said, adding that he plans to visit Vietnam inAugust to discuss plans. He expressed his belief that Vietnam will perform wellas ASEAN Chair in 2020 and make positive contributions to promoting the ASEANEconomic Community.
Highlighting the bloc’sdevelopment history, he said ASEAN has become of the important regional forum,and with its success in maintaining peace, stability and development, thegrouping has great appeal to powers in and outside the region.
Lim Jock Hoi affirmed that ASEANis doing well in maintaining general peace and stability, and making positivecontributions in all cooperation aspects, adding that the most important thingis ASEAN has been able to maintain cooperation in a way that produced goodoutcomes and build trust among member countries.
Regarding the trade war betweenthe US and China, the ASEAN official said both economies are partners of ASEANand any dispute between them would affect the grouping. Therefore, ASEAN wishesto help with the removal of trade obstacles between the two sides, he said.-VNA
Vietnam has an important role in fostering the development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), affirmed ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh.
Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Van Thanh is leading a delegation to attend a high-level regional conference themed “Synchronising Trade and Security Plans in Support of ASEAN 2025” which kicked off in Bangkok on April 3.
ASEAN is entering a new stage of development, aiming to build a people-centred ASEAN community on a legal basis of the ASEAN Charter and ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
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.
ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi (R) and Vietnamese Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (Source: VNA) 
