The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030 is on track for completion by March 2025, paving the way for its adoption by ASEAN leaders at the 46th ASEAN Summit slated for May in Malaysia, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn has said.
Kao unveiled this information following the 31st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Retreat in Johor, Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who chaired the AEM meeting, said the plan was developed through extensive engagement with various stakeholders to shape an action-oriented, sustainable, dynamic, adaptable, agile, and inclusive AEC.
He also announced the approval of several key ASEAN initiatives, especially a roadmap for the ASEAN Digital Business Identification Number and the negotiation principles for the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AFAIPC) 2.0.
As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia aims to enhance intra-ASEAN trade and investment while also leading efforts to explore and expand economic cooperation and partnerships beyond the region./.
VNA
The Myanmar government is working with the international community to identify and crack down on crimes, including illegal online gambling and online fraud.
Some 5,000 Chinese nationals will be sent home, with an average number of 1,000 a week, starting next week, the Thai Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told reporters.
Throughout the holy month, Muslims devote time to deep reflection and prayer. They fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink while focusing on good deeds and strengthening their faith.
The detained Thais admitted to crossing into Cambodia illegally to engage in online criminal activities, drawn by promises of high wages.
It stated that large international companies such as Intel, Amazon Web Services, Oracle, Google, and Plexus continued to commit to investing or increasing their investments in Malaysia, making the country one of the primary destinations for over 600 US companies.
In her weekly Empowering Thais programme on March 2 morning, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the Southeast Asian country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by only 2.5% last year because it had not invested substantially in new industries and had not prepared the people for future industries over the past decade.
The 158-page guidelines provide an overview of AI, ethical principles, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, risk management, adaptation methods, and self-assessment templates to help identify the scope and impact of AI within the public sector.
The suspect, identified by police as Chia, is accused of hacking into dozens of companies, stealing sensitive data and selling it on the dark web.
The investment includes training programmes for businesses and creators, anti-fraud campaigns, and a new data hosting service to enhance local cloud capabilities.
President of the Thai Rice Exporters AssociatioCharoen Laothammatas predicted that the figure will reach 7.5 million tonnes this year, a 24.2% drop from last year’s 9.94 million tonmes.
The declining number of service members as the “greatest internal challenge” facing the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). To tackle this, Singapore is increasing automation and assigning conscripts and national reservists, known as “NSmen,” to roles aligned with their civilian expertise to boost efficiency and effectiveness.
Vietnam, a key importer of Indonesian coal, imported 2.49 billion USD worth in 2024. Coal remains Vietnam’s largest import from Indonesia, contributing significantly to the 4.34 billion USD in total imports from the country
The Thai government has unveiled its “Thailand Summer Festivals” campaign, which aims to boost tourism and the creative economy through a series of festive celebrations scheduled from March to September.
The operation, conducted in accordance with Chinese and Thai laws, international regulations and established practices, is one example of ongoing collaboration between the two nations to address transnational criminal activities, China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu participated in the Islam-Buddhism Summit in Phnom Penh on February 27. The event focused on sharing experience in fostering peaceful religious coexistence, cooperation, and harmony in the region and the world.
This freshwater fish is completely blind, with its eyes degenerated into hollow structures covered by skin.
Other prominent New Zealand news outlets, including rnz.co.nz, 1news.co.nz, and scoop.co.nz, also featured the announcement, highlighting the elevation of the bilateral relationship.
The fire started on the second floor at 2:01 am and was extinguished after 40 minutes.
The Thai central bank's Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-1 to reduce the one-day repurchase rate to 2% to address clearer downside risks to the economy.
Japan would like to create a vibrant future together with ASEAN, by promoting cooperation in emerging fields, such as green development (GX) and digital transformation (DX).
