Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced on October 10 that significant progress has been made in the negotiations for the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0.
Chinese Premier Li Quiang (centre) arrives in Laos talking up the need for stronger connections with ASEAN. (Photo: AP)
Hanoi (VNA) –෴ Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced on October 10 that significant progress has been made in the negotiations for the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0.
Speaking at the 27th ASEAN-China Summit in Vientiane, Laos, the Chinese Premier highlighted that market resources are the strongest advantage shared by both the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, especially amid rising global uncertainties.
Li emphasised that both ASEAN and Chinese markets are continuing to expand and open up, but warned that the global economic recovery still faces challenges, including declining global demand.
On the same day, the Chinese Premier held talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the East Asia cooperation meetings.
Li noted that China-Australia relations have stabilised recently, with both countries increasing cooperation in various sectors and boosting exchanges at local and people-to-people levels, signaling a promising future for their relationship.
Following their meeting, PM Albanese announced that China will lift its ban on Australian lobster imports, marking the end of the trade dispute between the two nations. Both sides agreed on a timeline to fully restore lobster trade by the end of this year./.
A centre for commercial arbitration cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China has made debut in Nanning, China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, within the framework of the China-ASEAN Commercial Law Forum.
ASEAN countries and China have been promoting cooperation on durian, especially in the field of innovation in breeding technology, planting, farming techniques, processing, and ensuring a sustainable production chain.
China is ready to work together with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to conclude negotiations for version 3.0 of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen has said.
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.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
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.
