ASEAN and the world

Finance leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan, China and the Republic of Korea agreed to enhance regional finance cooperation and support multilateral trade and investment systems.

The Government of Japan has decided to provide JYP4.5 billion (USD40 million) for the Asian Development Bank to improve regional infrastructure.

The second Regional Stakeholder Forum on the Pak Beng Hydropower Plant opened in Vientiane, Laos, on May 5th.

All political parties of Cambodia are prohibited from marching in most of major and important streets in Phnom Penh to campaign for the upcoming commune council elections slated for June 4th.

The US owns a number of wonders of nature in which are national parks attracting 300 hundreds of tourists every year.

Angerian voters on May 4th were registered to elect new members of the parliament's lower house for a five-year term.

On May 4th, the ASEAN - US Foreign Ministers Meeting opens in Washington DC.

On April 4th, an explosion in a coal mine in the northern Iranian province of Golestan killed at least 35 workers and injured scores.

(CPV) - ADB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on May 4th 2017 to establish a strategic partnership to strengthen health security and promote universal health coverage (UHC) in a rapidly aging Asia and the Pacific.

Cambodia will prevent any actions to hinder the communal election process, said the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Samdech Sarkheng at a meeting on May 4th.

Malaysian authorities have arrested six of its citizens for suspected involvement in activities related to the self-claimed Islamic State (IS), announced Malaysian police on May 3rd.

(CPV) - Operating under the theme of “Building Together the Prosperity of Asia”, this year’s Annual Meeting will focus on the region's growing need for infrastructure as a critical sector towards achieving sustainable and inclusive development. Discussions on how to address urban challenges and strive for clean and climate-resilient development will be held.

The ASEAN - US Foreign Ministers Meeting will take place in Washington DC on May 4th.

A woman died of H7N9 bird flu infection in central China’s Hubei province, according to Xinhua.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko have pledged to promote friendly ties between the two countries at a meeting.

The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) has held business dialogues and signed 12 memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Philippine partners during President Joko Widodo’s visit to the Philippines.

The 30th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened in Manila, the Philippines on April 29th with the attendance of leaders of 10 ASEAN member nations.

On April 27th, the US Senate confirmed Alex Acosta as Secretary of Labor.

The Radio Asia Conference 2017 titled “Creating Radio with Passion: Looking into the World of Radio” was officially opened in Bangkok (Thailand) on April 26th.

Indonesia’s government sets the target of sugar production for 2017 at 1.2 million tonnes, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has said.

An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale has struck off the west coast of Chile.

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has announced that she is temporarily stepping down as head of her National Front Party.

Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue on April 24th was confirmed as US Secretary of the Agriculture Department, with a vote of 87-11.

Children in Laos will enjoy free health care services in public hospitals from 2017 under a new policy of the government aiming to reduce fatality rate among children under five.

A three-day political dialogue at the national level is underway in Taunggyi city of Myanmar’s eastern Shan state, prior to the upcoming second meeting of the country's 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference.

(CPV) - More than 25 million children between 6 and 15 years old, or 22 per cent of children in that age group, are missing out on school in conflict zones across 22 countries, UNICEF said on April 24th 2017.

On April 23rd, Sultan Muhammad V was officially installed as the 15th Malaysian king.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the deadly terrorist attack on an Afghan military base in the northern city of Mazar-e-sharif in Balkh province.

Centrist Emmunuel Macron and far-Right leader Marine Le Pen will face one another in the final round of the French presidential election on May 7th, according to exit polls.

About 41,000 security and armed forces personnel of the Philippines are ready to ensure security for the 30th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), announced local authorities on April 23rd.