ASEAN, Russia look to further deepen strategic partnership

2021 is considered an important time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Russia to review their achievements in cooperation and determine related goals in the time to come, towards further deepening the strategic partnership.
Hanoi (VNA) - 2021 is considered an important time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Russia to review theirachievements in cooperation and determine related goals in the time to come, towardsfurther deepening the strategic partnership.

The two upgradedtheir relationship to the strategic partnership in November 2018.

At the 19th Meeting of the ASEAN-Russia Joint CooperationCommittee (ARJCC) held online, representatives from ASEAN membernations expressed their appreciation of the positive cooperation in bilateralrelations.

Cooperation programmes and plans between ASEAN and Russia have contributed tosupporting ASEAN in realising its goals in community building and narrowing thedevelopment gap.

The Russian side stressed that ASEAN is one ofthe top priorities in its diplomatic policy. It supports the bloc in building theASEAN Community and in strengthening its central role in the regional structure,and actively joins ASEAN-led mechanisms, thus contributing to peace, stability,and security in the region.

The two sides also highly valued the activities of the ASEAN Centre at the MoscowState Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), which contributeto promoting scientific cooperation between universities and research centresand promoting people-to-people exchanges between citizens of Russia and ASEAN.

In the context of COVID-19, the two sides also committed to promotingjoint efforts to overcome the effects of the pandemic and stabilise theireconomies.

ASEAN and Russia agreed to further strengthen the strategic partnership,focusing on areas of mutual interest, such as politics, security, disastermanagement, technology and innovation, tourism, and the prevention of infectiousdiseases.

Russia has also increased coordination with ASEAN member countries at majorinternational forums, including the UN, on urgent global and regional issues, suchas arms control, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism prevention, internationalinformation security, and combating drug trafficking and transnational crime.

Russian authorities are assisting ASEAN’s special security and law protectionagencies in personnel training and organising professional training courses tofight terrorism and extremism.

On the occasion of the 30th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and 25years of dialogue relations in 2021, ASEAN and Russia wish to further deepenthe strategic partnership, thus helping both overcome difficulties posed byCOVID-19 and recover economic development./.
VNA

See more

At Pulau Seraya power station (Photo: Straitimes)

Singapore begins construction on hydrogen-fueled power plant

Singapore on October 23 began the construction of an 800 million USD power plant that has the capability to use hydrogen to generate electricity, as part of a push to utilise the fuel to reach Singapore’s net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050.

Delegates at the event (Photo: VNA)

125th anniversary of Permanent Court of Arbitration celebrated

The Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations and missions of the Philippines, Australia, Egypt, Guatemala, Hungary, Thailand, France, Eritrea and Austria, organised a ceremony on October 22 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), as part of the International Law Week at the UN General Assembly's Legal Committee (Sixth Committee).

CEO of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Anuar Fariz Fadzil (Photo: focusmalaysia.my)

Malaysia continues placing emphasis on digitalisation

The Budget 2025 provides significant support to further accelerate Malaysia’s digitalisation, encourage adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and drive inclusive growth, further positioning Malaysia as a leading digital hub within the ASEAN region, according to CEO of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Anuar Fariz Fadzil.

Malaysia's economic reforms boost investment inflow (Photo: thestar.com.my)

Malaysia's economic reforms boost investment inflow

Malaysia has attracted substantial foreign investments, reaching 22.2 billion MYR (5.16 billion USD) in the third quarter of 2024, the highest level for the same period since 2012, according to UOB's Global Markets and Economics report.

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN speaks at the debate (Photo: VNA)

Maintaining peace, stability a must for progress on human rights: Ambassador

Progress in human rights can only be achieved by maintaining peace and stability, respecting the rule of law at both the international and national levels, and ensuring respect for the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, said Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN.

A visitor browses travel promotions at a travel fair in Nonthaburi province. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

Thailand plans enhanced support for domestic tourism

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports is aiming to increase subsidy to local tourists in the upcoming stimulus scheme to 50% and would like to change the criteria for online travel agents, mandating them to register in Thailand to avoid losing income to foreign companies.

Oil field offshore Indonesia. (Photo: thejakartapost.com)

Indonesia begins major oil, gas exploration in Sulawesi

Indonesia's state-owned oil company Pertamina, along with foreign partners Sinopec from China and Kuwait’s Kufpec, has signed a contract to explore the Melati oil and gas block, located off the coast of Sulawesi. The block is estimated to contain trillions of cubic feet of gas reserves.