Malaysia's priorities for its 2025 chairmanship include strengthening ASEAN centrality, fostering trust through dialogue, diplomacy, and goodwill, and expanding economic partnerships beyond ASEAN borders.
Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dr Kao Kim Hourn (R) (Photo: asean.org)
Jakarta (VNA) - Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dr Kao Kim Hourn has expressed his confidence in Malaysia's leadership of the regional bloc in 2025, marking the country's fifth term as ASEAN chair.
He conveyed this assurance at a meeting with Malaysia's Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Ambassador Datin Sarah Al Bakri Devadason, held at the ASEAN Headquarters on February 14, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.
The discussions centred on Malaysia's priorities for its 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, including the progress of Timor-Leste's bid for membership, and other regional matters.
Malaysia's priorities for its 2025 chairmanship include strengthening ASEAN centrality, fostering trust through dialogue, diplomacy, and goodwill, and expanding economic partnerships beyond ASEAN borders.
The country also aims to promote greater intra-ASEAN trade and investment, emphasising advancements in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation.
In line with its theme, Malaysia will focus on inclusivity and sustainability, addressing 😼development gaps, improving living standards, anജd combating climate change to build a stronger regional community.
Malaysia, which previously held the ASEAN Chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015, officially assumed the role for 2025 under the theme Inclusivity and Sustainability, with over 300 meetings and programmes are planned throughout the year.
The first major event under Malaysia's chairmanship, the ASEAN Foreign Mi🀅nisters' Ret🅺reat, took place on January 19 in Langkawi, Malaysia, with Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas attending as an observer./.
The ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 will extend beyond high-level meetings, encompassing a range of activities and programmes, aimed at engaging communities at the grassroots level across Malaysia, said Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.
As the current ASEAN Chair, Malaysia can propose a discussion between Southeast Asian and BRICS countries to diversify trade ties and reduce reliance on traditional partners.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
