ASEAN Summit: Thailand emphasizes importance of lasting peace for ASEAN and China
At the 24th ASEAN-China Summit held via videoconference on October 26, Thai Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha emphasised the importance of lasting peace to both ASEAN and China towards a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) - At the 24th ASEAN-China Summit held via videoconference on October26, Thai Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha emphasised the importance of lasting peace to both ASEAN and China towards a comprehensivestrategic partnership.
According to government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, PM Prayut said that Thailand supports China's continued development andwants China to maintain its leading role in promoting cooperation in allaspects with the international community, including ASEAN and developingcountries.
The Thai PM said health security is the top priority in the cooperation between the two sides, suggesting that both sides continue to work together to respond to COVID-19 and new diseases that can emerge in the future.
Second, ASEAN and China should focus on economic security towardssustainable recovery and long-term resilience, he said.
Coming third is sustainable development. According to the PM, Thailand, as the ASEAN Coordinator for Sustainable DevelopmentCooperation, is committed and willing to continue to play a constructive rolein promoting activities in the ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development inthe 2021-2022 period.
Prayut noted that Thailand recognizes the importance of maintaining ASEAN centrality and ASEAN-centered regional architecture, and values dialogue to find common solution to the East Sea issue.
Thailand is willing to promote mutuallybeneficial cooperation such as marine environmental protection, and fullysupports the implementation of relevant ASEAN-China mechanisms, especially negotiationsto soon sign an effective, substantive and consistent Code of Conduct (COC)in accordance with international law, the Thai PM said./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed two key tasks that ASEAN should focus on doing in the time to come during the ongoing 38th ASEAN Summit on October 26.
President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in has committed 5 million USD this year for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to speed up COVID-19 vaccination.
The Republic of Korea (RoK) has officially signed its bilateral free trade agreements with Cambodia and the Philippines in a move to deepen their economic ties.
Vietnam is committed to doing its best in the coordinating role for the ASEAN-RoK partnership in the next three years on the basis of the sound and long-standing Vietnam-RoK relations, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during the 22nd ASEAN-RoK Summit held virtually on October 26.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should play a more active, proactive and responsible role in all issues impacting on the region, thus helping the ten-member bloc to maintain its centrality, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at the 39th ASEAN Summit, which was held virtually on October 26.
The handover ceremony was held at the Malaysian Embassy headquarters in Mexico City on August 8, with the presence of heads of diplomatic missions from ASEAN member states in Mexico.
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.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
