ASEAN senior officials met in Manila, the Philippines, on May 22 to discuss measures to realise outcomes of the 30th ASEAN Summit in April and prepare for the 50th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting.
Manila (VNA) – ASEANsenior officials met in Manila, the Philippines on May 22 to discuss measuresto realise outcomes of the 30th ASEAN Summit in April and preparefor the 50th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting scheduled for August in thePhilippines.
Deputy Foreign Minister NguyenQuoc Dung, head of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) ASEAN Vietnam, attendedthe meetings.
Participants agreed on specificmeasures to effectively take actions in the ASEAN Community Blueprints 2025,including pooling the full and effective involvement of specialised agencies.
They underscored the need tostrengthen apparatus and streamline operations to effectively fulfill suchgoals. They discussed preparations for the 50th founding anniversaryof ASEAN, and considered external countries’ proposals to join the Treaty ofAmity and Cooperation (TAC) and agenda for the meeting of the Southeast AsianNuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty Executive Committee’s Working Group.
In external relations, countriesreaffirmed determination to strengthen ties with partners on the basis ofrespect to basic principles of ASEAN and uphold the ASEAN Community’s centralrole.
They reviewed specific cooperationactivities with dialogue partners including China, the US, Russia, India, theRepublic of Korea, Australia, Canada and the EU, based on guidelines of the 29th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in September 2016, as well as agreed on basicorientations in the implementation of the Working Plan on improving ASEAN’scentral role.
On the East Sea issue, theylooked into measures to realise outcomes of the ASEAN-China Consultation on theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and a Code of Conduct inthe East Sea.
The ASEAN SOM with partnerswithin the framework of the ASEAN 3, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN RegionalForum and the Lower Mekong Initiative are slated for May 23-24.-VNA
The ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) and the ASEAN Joint Consultative Meeting (JCM) took place in Manila, the Philippines from March 15-16 to discuss preparations for the 30th ASEAN Summit.
ASEAN senior officials convened a meeting in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, to review preparations for the 30th ASEAN Summit slated for April 29.
The 14th Senior Officials’ Meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) will take place in Guiyang city, the Chinese province of Guizhou on May 18.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
In March, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali and said Thailand would commission a feasibility study into hosting a Grand Prix on a Bangkok street circuit from 2028.
The proposed giant sea wall aligns with bilateral cooperation and has been designated a national priority, considering that several regions in Indonesia are experiencing land subsidence of 10–15 centimetres per year.
International flights were cancelled including Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, and flights of Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines.
The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources, including gold, copper, and manganese, as well as in the development of steel, aluminum, and renewable energy industries.
The Thai cabinet has approved a seven-year EV bus leasing scheme proposed by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) for the capital, with an estimated cost of 15.35 billion THB (over 470 million USD).
Aircraft are prohibited from flying below 6,000 metres in the vicinity of the volcano, and should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which can disrupt flights.
Laos declared the transfer of the press management functions of five key media agencies and associated personnel to the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee.
Univers said in a statement that the new centre will serve as a hub for innovation, bringing together digital intelligence and climate ambition to accelerate Sarawak's transition toward a low-carbon, tech-enabled economy.
The target is to be completely free from plastic waste within two years. This can only be achieved if all parties implement the initiative with strong discipline.
Indonesia is taking new steps to improve protections for fishery workers, amid concerns over low wages, harsh working conditions, and limited access to social welfare.
The 2025 ASEAN- the Republic of Korea (RoK) Connectivity Forum that opened in Jakarta on June 17 reaffirmed a shared commitment to shaping a connected, resilient future by advancing the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan.
The desk will serve as a service centre providing market intelligence, business licensing guidance, facilitating business cooperation, identifying potential investment projects, and harmonising regulatory policies between the two parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for half of global energy consumption and 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024. Despite this, regional countries, including eight of ten ASEAN member states, remain committed to climate goals, including net-zero emissions and tripling global renewable capacity by 2030.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
