The country’s defense ministry will be creating a new post in their Defense Policy Bureau to better address issues related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. The new post will be aimed at boosting the Asean-Japan relation and cooperation in line with the government’s agenda of establishing a more “free and open Indo-Pacific.” The plans of strengthening …

With weakened economy and disrupted development on each countries, try achieve its desired ASEAN integration remains uncertain. Asean countries are now employing drastic measures to keep the economy from further declining. With the threat of recession, millions of people becomes unemployed, Industry production has been slowed down and trade has been impacted. Asean deficits ballooned since the financial crisis in …

HANOI – Russia foreign minister and the Asean foreign minister held a special video conference meeting to further strengthen the cooperation in response to  COVID-19. The meeting was co-chaired by Indonesia as the current country Coordinator for ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Relations and the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that the Russia-Asean strategic partnership meeting is …

SEOUL – Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) chief and South Korea’s foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke via telephone on Monday to further discussed ways to better cooperate amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Kang, the country is looking for ways that would allow businesspeople from Asean member states to have a special entry to enable essential economic activities. South …

The Asean region is expected to do more trade with China amid the coronavirus pandemic crisis, Deputy secretary-general of Asean Kung Phoak said in an interview. According to the senior official, the proximity with China has made the region a strong trading partners, even in the Covid-19 health crisis period. He also pointed out that even before the pandemic started, …

Metro Manila – The Philippines has announced yesterday that it has suspended its plan to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to pull the country out of the bilateral agreement. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said that the President has directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to inform the United States through …

BANGKOK – Thailand has been battling the the COVID-19 virus over the past four months causing the government to implement strict measurs including declaring a country-wide lockdown and curfew throughout the country where people must stay at home from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am. The lockdown and curfer has helped the country reduce and curb the spread of the virus. …

MANILA – The European Union (EU) has reiterated its commitment on assisting ASEAN’s programs, particularty in conserving the region’s rich biodiversity, EU Ambassador to the ASEAN Igor Driesmans reached said in an interview. According to Driesmans, EU considered the ASEAN as the ‘Number one development partner’. “In times when so many countries are turning inwards, it is important that we …

According to a former U.S. economic envoy to China, It’s time for the United States to balance the influence in the region as China is emerging as a bigger threat to its relationship with the South East Asian countries. Economist David Dollar studied the China’s Belt and Road initiative as this maybe the main tool used by Beijing to spread influence …

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) expressed today their support for the new appointed Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the 8th prime ministry of the state. MTUC president Datuk Halim Mansur, after congratulating Muhyiddin said that he should be given space to lead the country out of the current problems that affected the nation’s workers …