China and Vietnam pledged to manage their differences and safeguard peace in the South China Sea The two countries have agreed to manage their maritime difference, avoid actions that complicate the situation and escalate tensions, and safeguard the peace and stability of the South China Sea Chinese President Xi Jinping…

Myanmar looks to rebrand itself as a destination for foreign tourists Tint Thwin, director-general of the Directorate of Hotels and Tourism, said it is time to focus on rebranding so that foreigners choose Myanmar as a place for leisure The tourism ministry will cooperate with stakeholders to upgrade existing destinations…

President of Singapore, Dr. Tony Tan, has urged Singaporean firms to move quickly and seize first-mover advantage in developing markets like Cambodia and Laos Singapore has recently signed pro-business policies with Cambodia and Laos Tony Tan cited tourism as one area where there could be more collaboration between Singapore companies…

Ukraine regards Brunei as its gateway to ASEAN Both countries mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine shared that Ukraine has gained a very good traction in its agricultural exports and looks forward to building strong cooperation in the area with Brunei and…

Thailand’s new King rejects the ruling junta’s proposed constitution The King’s objections were related to aspects which have appeared to limit the monarch’s sovereignty Thais have been monitoring and looking out for signs of friction and power struggle between the monarch and the ruling junta While the King’s right to…

China’s aggressive investments in ports and rail links in Malaysia changes outlook for Singapore China’s current mega belt-road projects in Malaysia, once completed, will alter trade routes in the region and this may divert hundreds of billions worth of trade away from Singapore This game changer will bring vast economic…

Philippines’ President Duterte threatens martial law Martial law could be imposed in the Philippines if the drugs problem worsens Martial rule would allow Mr Duterte to use the military to enforce civilian law and detain people at length without charge Some human rights lawyers say Mr Duterte’s support for a…

Malaysia to boost border security Malaysia recognises security issues such as illegal border crossing, terrorism and the trafficking of drugs from the Golden Triangle area Malaysia is looking into tightening its border security with an integrated surveillance system, including the use of high technology gadgets Currently, the 767km Malaysia-Thailand border…

Indonesia sees Japan as model for infrastructure development The Japan-Indonesia Business Dialogue event was held in Jakarta The Indonesian government has high hopes that Japan will help to boost national development in various sectors, including infrastructure, maritime affairs, and tourism Japan regards Indonesia as an important partner and is really…

ASEAN highlights progress and priorities towards 50th anniversary The ASEAN Secretariat released ‘ASEAN in 2016’ factsheet to highlight the achievements of ASEAN Community a year after its establishment This factsheet provides an overview of the progress of the three ASEAN Community pillars and priorities as the grouping celebrates its 50th…