International relations

The National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting has reported unusual flooding in the Red River in northern Vietnam since 11 October following heavy inflows from China, where massive volumes of water have allegedly been discharged from dams.   Though there has been no human casualty, the flooding has ...

Vietnam resolutely opposes China’s construction of two lighthouses in the Chau Vien (Cuarteron) and Gac Ma (Johnson) reefs in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago, the Foreign Ministry said on 13 October. Keep reading ...

The Vietnamese Government has approved the border trade agreement between Vietnam and Laos, which was inked on 27 June 2015 in the central province of Nghe An.The agreement is expected to create a legal basis for boosting bilateral trade in line with the two countries’ ...

Having diplomatic relations with 138 countries and 124 political parties around the world are seen as major achievements by Laos in the field of foreign affairs and diplomacy over the past 70 years. These achievements were highlighted at a meeting held in Vientiane on 12 October to ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen on 12 October arrived in Macau, the first stop on a five-day trip during which he is scheduled to attend a series of conferences on cultural tourism, regional defense and trade, and poverty reduction. Keep reading ...

Laos will not host a meeting of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Southeast Asia on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit next year, a local official said, citing potential criticism by participants against governments in the region and inadequate resources as among reasons for the ...

The government is ready to help Indonesia tackle the haze pollution problem which has spread over large parts of the region after its envoy admitted the country’s efforts are not enough to stop the fires, Foreign Ministry deputy permanent secretary Vitavas Srivihok said. Keep reading ...

A top negotiator in Myanmar’s peace talks with ethnic rebels has accused neighboring China of derailing a nationwide ceasefire deal last week that would have brought Japan and Western nations in as observers to monitor an end to decades of conflict. Beijing has denied the accusation but ...

The signing of the Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore Power Integration Project deal has been delayed for another six months. Keep reading ...

Twelve Pacific rim countries sealed the deal late 5 October (Thailand time) to create the world’s largest free trade area, with implications for Thailand and for world trade in the 21st century. Working around the clock for days past their deadline, haggard trade ministers announced they reached ...