ASEAN and the world

US President Donald Trump arrived in France on July 13th for his official two-day visit to take part in Bastille Day celebrations and commemorations of the entry 100 years ago of US troops into the first World War.

An exhibition titled “Vietnam: Country, people seen from sea and islands” is on display at Republic Square in Prague, the Czech Republic.

(CPV) - Unabated climate change would bring devastating consequences to countries in Asia and the Pacific, which could severely affect their future growth, reverse current development gains, and degrade quality of life, according to a report produced by ADB and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

The chief negotiators of the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries have agreed to aim to put the regional free trade deal into force under a new framework, following the withdrawal of the US, according Kyodo news.

The Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to improve the country’s earnings from tourism as a global top seven, while revealing that 18.2 million tourists had visited the Kingdom during the first half of 2017.

(CPV) - A senior level working group meeting is finalizing a 5-year strategy for promoting safe and environment-friendly agro-based value chains (2018-2022) for the Greater Mekong subregion (GMS).

(CPV) - The Vietnamese Embassy in the Netherlands on July 10th organized a photo exhibition titled “Vietnam’s beauty - A modern look” at the Vietnam Arts Centre in The Hague (the Netherlands) on the occasion of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visit to the European country.

The floods began in early July, killing dozens and forcing mass evacuations.

The chief negotiators from the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries met in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, on July 12th to discuss how to bring the regional free trade deal into effect following the withdrawal of the United States, the Japanese Kyodo News reported.

Thailand and Myanmar have reached a deal on the issuance of official documents to Myanmar workers, allowing them to work legally in the country, according to local media.

Venezuela on July 9th kicked off a series of campaigns for candidates to the National Constituent Assembly (ANC).

Republic of Korea (RoK) President Moon Jae-in has appointed two new ministers, the presidential office said on July 11th, but without a formal ceremony.

US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Washington next week, the State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on July 12th.

Representatives from 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) member countries are expected to meet in Hakone town, west of Tokyo, Japan on July 12th.

Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has said intelligence reports indicated that foreign Islamic State (IS) fighters fleeing the Middle East are planning to shift their bases to Southeast Asia.

A training program to help more Fijian women reach leadership and board positions in South Pacific Stock Exchange-listed (SPSE) companies was launched in Suva on July 10th 2017.

Khaltmaa Battulga of the Mongolian Democratic Party (DP) has been sworn in as the President of the country.

The 14th China–ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and the China–ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) will be held from September 12th–15th in Nanning city, capital city of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

(CPV) - ADB Board of Directors has approved a USD21 million policy-based loan to support the Government of Nepal’s efforts to simplify, harmonize, and modernize the country’s trade processes to meet international standards.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has arrived in Istanbul, Turkey, to attend the World Petroleum Congress from July 9th – 10th after a short stop in Ukraine.

Thai Airways International Plc. (THAI) of Thailand is set to unveil the world's No. 1 Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Centre by the year 2021.

Indonesia and Australia will complete the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) by the end of year, said Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

(CPV) - ADB, the Government of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have signed 3 grant agreements worth USD16.8 million to improve the quality of basic education in the two Pacific island countries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines on July 7th issued a statement expressing its deep sadness over the discovery of the bodies of two Vietnamese nationals murdered by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group in Basalin two days ago.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has asked the society not to overreact to the government’s new Royal Decree on Migrant Worker Management as its harsher punishments have been delayed from effect by six months.

On July 6th, German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks with US President Donald Trump ahead of the G20 meeting in Hamburg.

The United States of America has celebrated 241 years since it adopted its declaration of independence in 1776.

(CPV) - ADB and the Invest Finance Bank (InFin Bank) signed an agreement enabling cooperation on July 5th 2017 to support trade in Uzbekistan through ADB’s Trade Finance Program (TFP).

(CPV) - Pakistan’s Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and ADB Vice-President Wencai Zhang joined diplomats, senior government officials, ADB staff, and representatives of the development community to celebrate ADB’s 50th Anniversary at a reception in Islamabad on July 6th 2017.

Heavy rain and overflowing rivers in southern Japan have forced the evacuation of almost 400,000 people, public broadcaster NHK said on July 5th.