Myanmar assumes ASEAN Committee in Vienna Chairmanship
Myanmar Ambassador Min Thein took over the ACV Chairmanship, pledging to continue ongoing initiatives and further strengthen the unity and engagement of ASEAN diplomatic missions in Vienna
Vietnamese Ambassador Le Thai Hoa (second from right) poses for a photo with representatives from the eight ASEAN member states with diplomatic missions in Vienna. (Photo published by VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Myanmar assumed the role as Chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Vienna (ACV) at the committee's 63rd meeting held on July 8 under the chairmanship of Chargé d'Affa🃏ires of Laos to Austria Viengxay Thammavong.
The meeting gathered representatives from all eight ASEAN countries with diplomatic missions in Vienna, including Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
During the session, member states reviewed the cooperation activities conducted in the first half of 2025. Member countries commended Laos for its efforts and new initiatives to promote cultural cooperation, raise ASEAN’s profile in Austria, and strengthen engagement with international organisations in Vienna.
Participants agreed on the importance of maintaining ASEAN’s common voice at multilateral forums, particularly in areas of shared interest such as sustainable development, technology, climate change mitigation, and energy security. They also exchanged information on bilateral cooperation with Austria and shared updates on ASEAN member states’ candidacies for international organisations in the near future.
An overview of the 63rd meeting of the ASEAN Committee in Vienna (ACV) (Photo published by VNA)
Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna, highlighted Vietnam’s key multilateral activities in the first half of 2025. These included the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum held in Hanoi in late February and the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit in April.
He also announced major upcoming events in Vietnam during the second half of the year, notably the signing ceremony of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, to be held in Hanoi from October 25–26. This event marks an important milestone in Vietnam’s efforts to enhance global cooperation in combating cybercrime.
At the meeting, Viengxay Thammavong handed over the ACV Chairmanship to Myanmar’s Ambassador Min Thein. In his remarks, Ambassador Min Thein pledged to continue ongoing initiatives and further strengthen the unity and engagement of ASEAN diplomatic missions in Vienna./.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son commended the AICHR’s contributions over the past 15 years and expressed confidence in its continued role in advancing the realisation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and other regional cooperation strategies.
Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin said the measure reflects ASEAN’s continued efforts to strengthen global commitment to the principle of nuclear non-proliferation and to make Southeast Asia a fully nuclear weapon-free zone.
During its six-month term, Vietnam chaired and actively participated in a number of prominent activities, reaffirming the APG’s proactive and constructive engagement in multilateral mechanisms and the United Nations.
ASEAN’s stance is to continue pursuing constructive engagement and negotiation with the US, he said, adding member states could hold bilateral negotiations at the same time.
In a letter dated July 7 and addressed to President Prabowo Subianto, US President Donald Trump confirmed the decision to keep the 32% tariff in place, despite ongoing talks.
In the new development phase, the Mekong-Korea Cooperation should focus on innovation as the key driving force, placing people at the centre of development while ensuring water-food-energy security and developing cultural industries, said Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.
There are "high odds" that a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could happen, though no specific date or time has been discussed, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Deputy PM and FM Bui Thanh Son reaffirmed ASEAN's stances on the East Sea, Myanmar, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula. On the East Sea issue, Vietnam maintains its steadfast position of peacefully resolving disputes based on international law, particularly 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In a post on X, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita who co-chaired the meeting, noted that the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030 aims to expand cooperation further and give impetus to the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The event was part of activities by the ASEAN Committee in Santiago (ACS), with participation from the embassies of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
By the 2030, the Government aims for 80% of households to live within a 10-minute walk of an MRT station, strengthening Singapore’s commitment to sustainable urban mobility.
The US accounts for 18% of Thailand's exports. If the 36% rate is implemented, exports to the US could fall to 10% of the total, weakening bilateral trade relations over the long term.
AMM-58 is the largest gathering of ASEAN foreign ministers and senior diplomats from around the world to discuss pressing global and regional issues, promote cooperation, and advance the security and sustainability agenda in ASEAN.
Within the framework of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-58) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn held bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders on July 9.
The Southeast Asian country has offered to cut import duties on most US goods to zero, expand access for US agricultural and industrial products, and increase purchases of energy and Boeing jets. It also pledged to reduce its 46 billion USD trade surplus with the US by 70% within five years.
With a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and multilateralisation, Vietnam has viewed Brazil as an ideal partner that shares a common vision of a just world based on international law.
Thailand’s consumer price index (CPI) declined for a third consecutive month in June, attributed to lower energy and food prices, though there are no signs of deflation, according to the country’s Commerce Ministry.
According to the Bank of Thailand report issued on June 30, total household debt tallied 16.35 trillion THB (503.4 billion USD) in the first quarter of 2025, equivalent to 87.4% of GDP, down from 16.42 trillion or 88.4% of GDP in the previous quarter.
The programme “Towards Indonesia's Low Carbon Energy Transition” (MENTARI) has served as a bridge, helping Indonesian village women break free from traditional constraints.
The bill, which had previously been proposed by the Ministry of Finance, outlined mechanisms for regulating entertainment businesses through a two-level committee system: the Comprehensive Entertainment Policy Committee and the Entertainment Business Control Board. The goal is to establish standards and regulatory measures for the industry.
According to ADB, more than 1 billion people across Asia and the Pacific still lack access to basic health services, with millions pushed into poverty due to healthcare costs.
The US decided to keep unchanged tariff rates on certain countries in Southeast Asia, such as 32% for Indonesia and 36% for Thailand, effective from August 1. Malaysia faces a 25% rate, up from the 24% that the US threatened in April.
