With only four months left before the end of its chairmanship, Malaysia remains committed to sustaining this positive momentum, particularly in ensuring the success of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, an official has said.
Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan chairs the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Retreat) on July 9, 2025, (Photo published by VNA)
Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamad Hasan has affirmed that in its capacity as ASEAN Chair in 2025, Malaysia has achieved important milestones, thereby reinforcing the bloc’s position as a trusted and principled platform in addressing regional challenges.
With only four months left before the end of its chairmanship, Malaysia remains committed to sustaining this positive momentum, particularly in ensuring the success of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, he told the lower house on August 19.
He added that Malaysia spearheaded humanitarian missions to Myanmar following the recent earthquake, secured wider international participation in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), and advanced ASEAN’s economic integration through agreements such as the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement and the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework.
Mohamad also highlighted Malaysia’s efforts in coordinating the establishment of an Interim Observer Team, comprising defence advisers from ASEAN member states, to monitor compliance with the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.
🐭 The official stressed that this role underscored Malaysia’s credibility as a neutral and trusted mediator in regional conflicts./.
Malaysia will push for a "substantial conclusion" of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) at the ASEAN Economic Ministers' (AEM) Meeting from September 24 to 26 in Kuala Lumpur.
The ASEAN Foundation, with support from Google, launched AI Class ASEAN, a free learning platform to equip communities with the skills to thrive in the AI era. By training 800,000 local leaders across all ten ASEAN member states, the programme will empower 5.5 million people, including 400,000 Malaysians, with practical AI literacy.
The Malaysian government is undertaking a structured assessment to examine the role of nuclear power as a potential option for clean, stable, and competitive electricity within Malaysia’s future energy mix.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is driving forward the Land Bridge mega-project, valued at nearly 1 trillion THB (31.5 billion USD), to stimulate the economy and attract long-term investment.
A discussion on Vietnamese cuisine, culture and tourism was held in Tel Aviv on September 14, aiming to deepen the understanding of Vietnamese culture and promote people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Israel, especially as the two countries expand cooperation across multiple fields.
Confirmed initiatives include the revival of the popular "Half-Half" co-payment scheme. Other proposals under discussion - though not yet finalised - include the "We Travel Together" tourism stimulus programme, decentralisation efforts and disaster mitigation strategies.
Fidel’s words to the gathered soldiers: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood!” captured the very essence of the friendship forged between the two nations, a relationship nurtured through resilience, dignity, and internationalist spirit.
The satellite Nusantara 5 (N5), launched by Indonesia, is expected to strengthen connectivity in Indonesia's eastern region, supporting distance learning, digital health care, and providing access to information and entertainment for remote communities.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing 17 locations to be designated as specific national strategic areas (KSNT) for blue carbon reserves.
The ASEAN task force is not identical to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) but is intended to serve as a platform for collective discussions and joint actions when ASEAN countries face shared threats.
The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on September 11 agreed to present three ASEAN Leaders’ Declarations at the 47th ASEAN Summit in this October.
With clashes arising from time to time worldwide, Asia should continue to keep dialogue channels open, exercise restraint when conflicts emerge, and strengthen regional mechanisms that can help manage differences.
In addition to rice, Indonesia is resolute in prohibiting imports of corn and table sugar in 2025, and is determined to optimise domestic production through pro-farmer policies in pursuit of food self-sufficiency.
Thailand, now ranked first in the world for weather modification, continues to expand its royal rainmaking programme to combat drought and support agriculture nationwide.
The 10 initiatives include restoring the ecosystems and the availability of food-producing land, intensification and assistance for farmers, developing community-based food systems, increasing local food diversification, and increasing animal protein consumption, among others.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is tapping into India’s high-spending wedding market through The Celebration with Care Wedding Planners Fam Trip & Trade Meet.
Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo has revealed that the Southeast Asian country’s delegation is proposing palm oil exports as part of efforts to further reduce the US's current 19% reciprocal tariffs.
Heavy seasonal rains, which usually occur from September through March, regularly cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia. This year’s extreme events again highlight how vulnerable many communities are to natural disasters
The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on September 10 endorsed the ASEAN Plan of Action on Combating Transnational Crime for 2026–2035, providing a framework to address transnational crime challenges over the next decade.
