Vietnam to be attractive strategic partner for Canada: Expert

Malaysia can become a premier cruise tourism destination in Southeast Asia, and the cruise industry has the potential to do more than just bring in foreign visitors as it can create thousands of jobs, elevate local heritage and culture, and promote the country to the world, said its Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

At a meeting in Tokyo on June 9, Director General of National Export Development at the ministry Fajarini Puntodewi emphasised the potential for increasing exports of renewable energy items such as palm kernel shells and wood pellets, which are in growing demand in Japan.

The halting of mining activities is a move demonstrating the Indonesian Government's commitment to protecting areas of strategic ecological value.

Indonesia will welcome 120 companies from the Netherlands on June 16, bringing trade and investment missions to the Southeast Asian nation.

AIPA President and Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives Tan Sri Johari Abdul said that a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released on May 28 warned that ASEAN youth are facing emerging threats from synthetic drugs, especially when they are disguised in products such as e-cigarettes.

Vietnam’s history has repeatedly proven that in moments of hardship or opportunity, it is the unwavering patriotism, self-reliance, and indomitable spirit of its people that determine the nation's destiny.

At their meeting, the two leaders also discussed ASEAN-EU cooperation and appreciated the results achieved, especially the progress in the negotiations of the ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

President Prabowo noted that in 2024, the country imported around 500,000 tonnes of corn. Meanwhile, total dry corn output from January to July 2025 is estimated at 9.45 million tonnes, an increase of 0.94 million tonnes, equivalent to 11.08% rise over the same period last year.

Mining activities in Raja Ampat, Indonesia have produced large volumes of sediment and mud that are flowing into the sea, causing nearshore waters to become turbid.

Indonesia reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development by targeting 10,000 low-emission homes by 2025, toward 150,000 homes by 2029.

Building on robust bilateral trade growth and China's rising demand for Thai products, such as rice, cassava, and durian, the Ministry of Commerce is pushing to make further inroads into the Chinese market.

The upcoming meeting of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Committee (JBC), scheduled for June 14, will focus on technical matters related to maintaining the boundary status quo until a formal resolution is reached.

A bus crash in northern Malaysia on June 9 early morning killed 15 people and injured 33 others.

Vietnam is an important component in terms of politics, diplomacy, security, economy, culture, and society, making ASEAN stronger, more self-resilient, and more dynamic, according to ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn.

Laos' economic growth reached 4.5% in the first quarter of 2025, with agriculture growing by 3.1%, industry by 4.7%, services by 4.7%, and customs revenue by 4.3%.

The two-week KAMANDAG exercise, jointly led by the Philippine and US Marine Corps, took place through June 13, drew the participation of the troops from the RoK and Japan, as well as personnel from nine other observer countries.

Pichai revealed that actually, Thailand and the US had held unofficial discussions on the matter, and he believed that proposals from his country benefited both sides.

President Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) warned that such pressures could force some companies, especially those in cost-sensitive sectors like electrical machinery services (EMS), which supports US-linked manufacturing operations in Malaysia, to scale back operations.

This policy is part of the government's efforts to reduce public expenditure. The measure is outlined in the Ministry of Finance’s budget standards for the 2026 fiscal year.

Nazir called for forging closer partnerships with other countries in the world such as China, India, and Japan.