Singapore, China expand cooperation in digitalisation, sustainable development

With the theme “Regional Cooperation for Joint Advancement”, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) 2025 Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum is set to enhance understanding, substantive and effective cooperation in all areas, from economy and trade to cultural exchange among RCEP member countries.

Deputy DDC Director-General Dr. Anek Mungomklang added that 84% of motorcyclists hospitalised between 2020 and 2024 were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident. He emphasised that the number of motorcyclists not wearing helmets was eight times higher than those who did.

Police spokesperson Krishna Murti revealed that international drug syndicates have been recruiting drug couriers in Indonesia, particularly in large cities and vulnerable areas.

The programme aims to stabilise livelihoods and mitigate the effects of inflation, with an estimated 360 tonnes of rice to be distributed under the plan.

The OECD expected domestic demand in Indonesia to recover in the second half, supported by easier financial conditions, contained inflation, and investments from Danantara, Indonesia’s newly established sovereign wealth fund.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that such a housing development concept will not only provide more strategic residences for low-income groups but also pave the way for a more sustainable and organised urban lifestyle.

As there are indications of a decline in genetic variety among Javan rhinos in the wild, the translocation is expected to help prevent inbreeding and strengthen the genetic resilience of the population.

Announcing at the annual major tourism trade fair, known as Thailand Travel Mart Plus or TTM+, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications Nithee Seeprae noted that the strategy will introduce a wide range of immersive tourism products to encourage longer stays and deeper cultural engagement.

On renewable energy, Singapore and the Philippines agreed to deepen both bilateral and regional cooperation, and to accelerate efforts towards realising the ASEAN power grid, a plan to connect the electricity networks of the group’s 10 member countries to enable cross-border power trading by 2045.

The stimulus package not only focuses on tourism projects but also includes improvements to infrastructure at tourist attractions.

The IM is a key document in the accession process, containing an independent assessment of the alignment between national regulations, standards, and practices with OECD norms and standards.

In early 2025, the Lao economy showed signs of recovery amid many challenges and fluctuations in the global economy. In the first quarter of this year, the Lao economy achieved a growth rate of 4.5%. According to the latest report of the Government in May, the country's inflation rate decreased significantly to 8.3% in the month.

Its goal is to upgrade hospitals in border provinces into specialised healthcare centres to improve access to medical treatment, reduce the need for patients to travel to major cities, and help lower mortality rates.

The Philippines and Thailand have announced their plans to buy attack fighters from the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Sweden, respectively.

The "ASEAN Visa" is launched on the basis of comprehensive mutual visa exemption with countries such as Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, as well as the issuance of the "Lancang-Mekong visa" for Mekong River nations, aiming to further facilitate cross-border travel within the region.

Under Singapore's current regulations, rail operators can be fined up to 750,000 USD or 10% of annual fare revenue from the affected line—whichever is higher. SMRT reported earnings of 6.2 million SGD before interest and tax for the 2023/24 financial year from operating the Bukit Panjang LRT and four MRT lines.

The bicameral mechanism allows Cambodia’s two legislative chambers to meet and jointly address significant national issues when necessary.

While tourism provides over 4.4 million jobs in Thailand, the industry is facing global uncertainties such as geopolitical tensions and concerns about traveler safety.

The stimulus is strategically timed to coincide with the June–July school holiday season, aiming to boost consumption and economic growth.

The agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector posted the highest growth among all economic sectors, reaching 10.52% in Q1, mainly due to bumper rice and corn harvests. Rice output surged by 51.45% while corn production rose by more than 39%.