ASEAN and the world

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on March 22nd arrived in India for a four-day visit.

(CPV) - ADB signed facilities of a total of USD250 million in loans to Arctic Green Energy Corporation (AGE) and Sinopec Green Energy Geothermal Company Limited (SGE) on March 22nd 2018 to expand environmentally sustainable district heating services in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Peru’s Vice President Martin Vizcarra will be sworn in as President on March 23rd, after current President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski offered his resignation ahead of an impeachment vote.

The international press has run several articles on former Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai after he passed away on March 17th.

Laos has signed an agreement on the Establishment of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organisation, becoming the 10th country to sign this document, the English-language newspaper Vientiane Times reported.

On March 20th, US President Donald Trump called to congratulate Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as President of Russia for the fourth term.

On March 20th, a package containing nails and shrapnel exploded at a FedEx distribution centre in San Antonio, Texas, injuring one person.

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Darmin Nasution has called on the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to distribute imported rice that is currently stored at its warehouses to push rice prices down.

On March 18th, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that the first presidential and parliamentary elections since the end of Robert Mugabe’s long rule will take place in July.

The seventh plenary meeting of the first session of the 13th Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing has appointed a new cabinet lineup.

On March 20th, Chung Eui-yong, head of the National Security Office, said the US and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have agreed to work together closely for the success of their upcoming dialogue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The Republic of Korea (RoK) and Singapore agreed on March 19th during their defence chiefs’ talks to maintain their close partnership on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other security issues.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang on March 18th was re-elected for his second five-year term by the National People’s Congress (NPC).

Incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin has won his fourth term with some 72% of the vote.

Measures to promote cooperation between India’s eastern and northeastern regions and eastern countries were discussed at a workshop in Odisha state, India, from March 16th-18th.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on March 17th announced Australia will provide an investment of AUD30 million (USD23.4 million) to support “smart cities” in Southeast Asia.

Officials of Australia and the ASEAN member states signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strengthening cooperation to counter international terrorism within the framework of the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit in Sydney, Australia on March 17th.

An ASEAN-Australia Special Business Conference was organised on March 16th in Sydney, New South Wales, within the framework of the on-going ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.

On March 15th, President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in formed a committee to prepare for the upcoming summit with President of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-un.

On March 15th, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ri Yong-Ho began his visit to Sweden, on a mission that could set the stage for a possible summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 14th was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany for her fourth term.

The White House on March 13th announced Mr. Mike Pompeo is leaving his post as CIA director to become President Trump's new Secretary of State.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on March 15th visited the US to maintain “strong cooperation” with Washington.

At least 49 were killed and 22 injured when a Bangladeshi plane crashed and burst into flames near Kathmandu Airport as it was coming in to land.

The Nepali Parliament on March 13th elected Ms. Bidya Devi Bhandari for a second term as President of Nepal.

On March 12th, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Chung Eui-yong, top National Security Advisor for the President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Moon Jae-in, in Beijing.

Singapore on March 13rd announced that army chief Major General Melvyn Ong will take over as Chief of Defence Force and replace Lieutenant-General Perry Lim, who will be transferred to a new position.

(CPV) - ADB has secured USD190 million in total funding—comprising of USD85 million in grants and USD105 million in concessional loans—from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for its climate change projects in Cambodia, Mongolia, and Tajikistan, shoring up the bank’s efforts to increase its climate financing for the Asia and Pacific region.

Conservative politician and businessman Sebastinastian Pinera on March 11th was sworn in to his second term as the President of Chile, after taking a strong victory in the December elections.

Over eight million eligible voters on March 11th began to elect the 605 members of the National Assembly and 1,265 delegates to the 15 provincial legislative bodies of the People’s Power in Cuba.