Government
International relations
Japan charts road to industrialization for Mekong region
Japan and the five Southeast Asian countries bordering the Mekong River adopted a blueprint on 24 August to boost industrialization in the subregion. The blueprint, known as “The Mekong Industrial Development Vision,” got the thumbs-up during a meeting between Japan’s Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi ...
Vietnam affirms close cooperation in transport with Laos, Cambodia
The transport ministries of Vietnam and Laos have affirmed close cooperation in all aspects of the transport sector at an annual bilateral ministerial meeting in Hanoi on 22 August. They agreed to promote transport infrastructure connectivity between the two countries. On the same day, Vietnam and Cambodia ...
Map critics face arrest
Prime Minister Hun Sen has delivered a warning to anyone still thinking about criticising the government’s handling of the ongoing border demarcation with Vietnam: you will be arrested. Addressing a cabinet meeting, Hun Sen said anyone who persisted with claims that authorities were using “fake” maps or ...
Kazakhstan President’s Special Envoy visits Cambodia, Laos
Kazakhstan’s Special Envoy of the President and Deputy Foreign Minister Askar Mussinov visited Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries Cambodia and Laos 12-13 August in the framework of promoting his country’s bid to secure a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security ...
ASEAN's real GDP grows 4.6pc in 2014
ASEAN’s real Gross Domestic Product grew 4.6 per cent to reach US$2.57 trillion in 2014. The sustained growth in GDP led to an increase in the GDP per capita from US$3,908 in 2013 to US$4,130 in 2014, ASEAN Secretariat said in a statement. Keep reading ...
ASEAN puts last touches to economic community
With most of the high-priority measures in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) blueprint already adopted, policymakers and businesses need to work closely on the remaining challenges to achieve benefits of full economic integration beyond 2015, a new report recommends. The report from Ernst & Young, titled ...
Vietnam shares budget problems with Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar
Budget decisions and oversight were among the subjects discussed by representatives from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar together with foreign experts at a joint workshop that opened in the central coastal city of Da Nang on 17 August. Keep reading ...
Malaysia to open trade and industry office in Vietnam
The Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry will open a representative office in Hanoi latter this year to embrace economic links with Vietnam. Minister Mustapa Mohamed made the announcement to reporters after his attendance at a dialogue with members of the ASEAN Business Club. Keep reading ...
Thai trips expected to rise as visa-free deal with Myanmar comes into effect
Visa-free travel to Thailand for Myanmar passport-holders has come into effect, sparking a spike in visitor numbers, travel agents say. Following an agreement reached last month, Myanmar passport holders can now visit Bangkok or Phuket for a two-week trip without queuing for a visa at the Thai ...
Myanmar Government trumpets pledges from China
Amid accusations that it caved in to Chinese pressure, the government has been at pains to show that its release in a presidential amnesty last week of 153 Chinese illegal loggers was accompanied by a number of pledges it has managed to extract from Beijing. The ...
