A performance of Vietnamese girls with ao dai (traditional long dress) and conical hats at the exchange programme (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) -ꦗ A tradeand culture exchange programme among ASEAN nations opened at Ho Chi Minh City’sSeptember 23 Park on April 18.
The event, hosted by the municipalPeople’s Committee, is to mark Vietnam’s 43rd Reunification Day (April 30) andthe third founding anniversary of the ASEAN Economic Community. Speaking at the opening ceremony,Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem said over thepast 50 years, ASEAN has become a unified community with a common vision andidentity. Easier flow of traffic and frequenteconomic and cultural activities between members with a population of nearly630 million people have brought the countries closer, he added. The exchange programme offersopportunities for people in ASEAN to introduce their cultural and historicalvalues to international friends, bolstering mutual understanding and solidarityand contributing to a sustainable, self-strengthening and dynamic ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. The official voiced his hope thatthrough the event, ASEAN businesses will seek more cooperation and optimiseeconomic benefits brought by the ASEAN Community. He also encouraged ASEAN firmsto join hands to create made-in ASEAN products. The programme, which runs until April22, includes a fair with more than 110 trade pavilions and some 40 cuisinepavilions. Art, martial arts, folk games andsport performances are also being held during the event, together with thescreening of clips promoting tourism of participating countries and products ofenterprises.-VNA
The 22nd ASEAN Finance Ministers’ Meeting took place in Singapore on April 4. On the occasion, Jayant Menon from the Asian Development Bank, wrote an article assessing ASEAN’s economic performance.
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs has launched a campaign to strengthen security ahead of the 32nd ASEAN Summit that the country will host from April 25-28, especially in the event’s major venues including Istana and Shangri-La hotel.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
A performance of Vietnamese girls with ao dai (traditional long dress) and conical hats at the exchange programme (Photo: VNA) 
