Asean morning news for June 25

Asean morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

ASEAN to send envoys to break RCEP deadlocks
ASEAN economic ministers have agreed to have representatives from Indonesia and Thailand, as well as ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, engage with Indian officials over deadlocks in the negotiations of the bloc’s most strategic trade agreement.
— The Jakarta Post (paywall)

Asean+3 growth forecast lowered to 4.9%: report
IN the wake of escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) has lowered its regional growth projections.
— The Business Times

‘PHL medical costs second highest in Asean’
FILIPINOS could experience even more expensive health-care costs this year on the back of more expensive medicines and medical services, according to a new global report on health.
— Business Mirror

Malaysia willing to conclude RCEP without India: Mahathir
Malaysia is willing to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) without India “for the time being.”Speaking at the CNBC’s interview with Tanvir Gill today, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pix) said RCEP participants would have to consider which framework works best.
— The Sun Daily

Australia Eyes New South China Sea Port to Be Used by US Marines Amid Washington-Beijing Row
Of late, the Western Pacific has seen both the US and Australia boost their military presence in a bid to prevent China from gaining greater influence in the South China Sea, a strategic, extraordinarily rich in natural resources passageway that has local territory claimants face off.
— Spratly Islands

South East Asia is natural test bed for revamped Belt and Road
Southeast Asian leaders gathered in Bangkok last weekend for the 34th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations against a backdrop of rapidly slowing global trade.
— Nikkei Asian Review (paywall)

Dr M: Intra-Asean trade small, time to boost commerce
Sluggish intra-Asean trade was one of the main concerns raised during the 34th Asean Summit, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
— Malay Mail

Environmental conservation highlighted at ASEAN Summit
This year’s ASEAN Summit in Bangkok focuses on environmental conservation, with eco-friendly green meetings and discussions on marine debris reduction.
— NBT World (video)

With Prayut at helm, Asean being blown off course
First major meeting under Thailand’s chairmanship revealed icebergs ahead for regional bloc
— The Nation

Thailand Post issues ASEAN stamp collection
Marking Thailand’s ASEAN Chairmanship, the Government Public Relations Department (PRD) has joined hands with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand to create the “Pride of ASEAN” stamp collection, depicting the cultures and lifestyles of all 10 ASEAN member states across 20 stamps.
— Vietnamplus

ASEAN vows to maintain multilateral trade system amid rising trade protectionism
Southeast Asian nations reached a consensus on Sunday to fight against trade protectionism and support the maintaining of a multilateral trade system as they wrapped up the 34th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Bangkok.
— Khmer Times

ASEAN has much to do
The United States (US)-China trade war and the stalled negotiations for trade pacts and maritime guidelines were among the main issues at last week’s 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, highlighting the region’s concerns over growing geopolitical and trade tensions.
— The Asean Post

ASEAN calls for resumption of dialogue for nuclear-free Korean Peninsula
The Southeast Asian regional bloc has called for the resumption of the peaceful dialogue among concerned parties towards attaining a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
— Manila Bulletin

34% e-commerce consumers in Southeast Asia are unhappy with delivery experience
Despite being the fastest growing e-commerce region with over 62% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) growth over the last 3 years, delivery continues to be a challenge in Southeast Asia, a new survey by Parcel Perform and iPrice Group reveals.
— The Online Citizen

Asean countries to vet Timor-Leste’s membership bid
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will send fact-finding missions to Timor-Leste in connection with the country’s bid for membership in the regional bloc, according to Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha.
— Inquirer.net

EU-ASEAN Business Council and ASEAN Business Advisory Council Launch Report on Non-Tariff Barriers in ASEAN: Both Bodies Call for Faster Action on Removal of NTBs
In line with ASEAN’s 2019 theme of “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”, the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) today launched a joint report “ Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) in ASEAN and their elimination from a business perspective” which examines the prevalence of NTBs to trade in three key industrial sectors in ASEAN — Automotive, Agri-Food, and Healthcare.
— Business Insider (media release)

ASEAN warns against ‘zero-sum game’ behavior amid US-China tension
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has called for avoiding patterns of behaviour based on “a zero-sum game” in the Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions between the US and China.
— Spratly Islands

With Prayut at helm, Asean being blown off course
First major meeting under Thailand’s chairmanship revealed icebergs ahead for regional bloc
— The Nation

Asean framework fails to protect SE Asia from plastic tsunami
The Bangkok Declaration and the Asean Framework of Action on Marine Debris announced at Asean’s summit last weekend are good examples of how regional action can be achieved to address a common challenge.
— The Nation

China Deploys Fighter Jets at Island in South China Sea, as US Allies Conduct Naval Exercises
Satellite images recently revealed that China has deployed at least four of its J-10 mainstay fighter jets on the contested territory of Woody Island in the South China Sea.
— Spratly Islands

ASEAN out to boost economy, security
Southeast Asian leaders agreed on Sunday to work together on the region’s economy and security to strengthen their position to face growing US-China tensions, as they wrapped up their summit in Bangkok.
— Manila Bulletin

SE Asia sub-regional group pushes for bigger local gov’t role in dev’t
Leaders of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) want more active local government participation in identifying opportunities for investments and closer linkages within the sub-region.
— BusinessWorld Online

Vietnam wants ASEAN to take note of threats against fishers in South China Sea
Speaking at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said ASEAN also needs to consider and acknowledge positive development in the negotiations for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) between the bloc and China, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
— Spratly Islands

AOIP: A new Asean regional guide
At the retreat on Sunday, Asean leaders hailed the Asean Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP), reiterating it is our own perspective and response to an unpredictable world and disruptive international environment.
— Bangkok Post

Cost of developing renewables in Southeast Asia put through new mapping tool
Using an application based on resource data and country-specific techno-economic inputs, a report has analyzed the costs of developing utility scale renewables in Southeast Asia and found abundant, cost-competitive potential.
— PV Magazine

Guangdong’s foreign trade rises slightly in first five months
Foreign trade in south China’s Guangdong Province recorded a total of 2.71 trillion yuan (393.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of the year, up 1.4 percent year on year, customs authorities said Monday.
— China.org.cn

CLMVT region to become ‘value chain hub’ of Asia and the world, PM tells forum
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Monday that the Thai government firmly believed that mainland Southeast Asia had the potential to grow into a new economic centre of both Asia and the world, and that the region would become a “value chain hub”.
The Nation (very annoying pop-ups)

Private sector urges ASEAN to standardize regulations
Representatives from the private sector in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) held a business dialogue and resolved that ASEAN should adjust certain rules and regulations to be in line with international standards to facilitate trade in the region.
— NBT World (video)

ADB reaffirms support for cooperation of ‘economically competitive’ Southeast Asian countries
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao on Sunday reaffirmed support for the two subregional development initiatives in Southeast Asia.
— GMA News

China winning new Cold War on the Mekong
When the state tabloid China Daily ran a paid advertisement in the New York Times extolling the virtues of Beijing’s proliferating dams in Laos, the piece sparked a new cold war controversy.
— Asia Times

PM Prayut holds bilateral talks with three ASEAN leaders
Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha held bilateral talks with his counterparts from Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok.
— NBT World (video)

Recycling old buildings
Southeast Asia is rapidly developing its cities in anticipation of increasing urban populations by 2025.
— The Asean Post

ASEAN CIOs learn to navigate the data economy
ASEAN organisations, like their counterparts in other parts of the world, have been facing similar challenges in taking their organisations forward and remain competitive in an uncertain global economy.
— ComputerWeekly.com

Lazada Group activates Olympic Games partnership in Southeast Asia as part of Alibaba’s worldwide partnership with the IOC
Southeast Asia eCommerce leader Lazada Group yesterday activated its Olympic Games partnership as part of the IOC’s long-term partnership with Alibaba Group.
— Business Mirror (media release)

Asean, Germany conclude cooperation project on econ development, biodiversity protection
After four years of implementation, the Asean-German Cooperation Project, “Biodiversity-based Products (BBP) as an Economic Source for the Improvement of Livelihoods and Biodiversity Protection,” celebrated its success in a recent regional project closing event in the Lao PDR ancient capital of Luang Prabang.
— Business Mirror

PH, 7 other countries form ‘Asian platform’ on energy efficiency collaboration
The Philippines and seven other countries in the region have formalized “collaboration” for an Asian platform in the promotion of energy efficiency initiatives – including investment hunting as well as shoring up financing tracks for projects.
— Manila Bulletin

Razer and Visa Announce Partnership to Transform Payments in Southeast Asia
Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, and Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, have announced a first of its kind partnership that will transform payments in the gaming industry by bringing the scale and reach of Visa’s global network to Razer Pay e-wallet users.
— Yahoo Finance (media release)

Cambodia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

Survivors found two days after deadly building collapse
As rescue teams began wrapping up their efforts here yesterday, hundreds of onlookers watched in amazement as two more victims of the deadly building collapse were found buried alive under the rubble.
— Khmer Times

28 Workers Deceased and 24 Injured after Building Collapses in Sihanoukville
As of 4:30 p.m of Monday, 28 bodies of construction workers, four females, were found dead; and 24 others, two females, were injured, according to Sihanoukville govenor Yun Min.
— Fresh News Asia

Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province Resigns
Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen has accepted the request for resignation of Governor of Preah Sihanouk province H.E. Yun Min, after an under-construction seven-floor building collapsed in the early morning of last Saturday.
— AKP

See here for more of today’s Cambodia morning news

Indonesia morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

Indonesia’s May imports decline 5.62 percent to reach US$14.53 billion
Indonesia’s imports in May 2019 reached US$14.53 billion, a drop of 5.62 percent than that recorded a month earlier, according to the Central Agency of Statistics (BPS).
— Antara News

Court to rule on Prabowo’s petition on Thursday
The Constitutional Court is set to deliver its ruling on the presidential election dispute on Thursday, in a final decision that is expected to end the drama surrounding incumbent President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s reelection victory.
— Jakarta Post

Govt earmarks Rp50 billion for tourism development in Labuan Bajo
The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry has readied a budget of Rp50 billion to construct the Lintas Utara road section to support development of the National Tourism Strategic Area in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province.
— Antara News

See here for more of today’s Indonesia morning news

Lao PDR morning news

Compiled by Justhine De Guzman Uy @justhine.aecnews

Thai and Lao central banks ink MoU on banking supervision
The central banks of Thailand and Laos on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding on banking supervision.
— The Nation

Kids to learn English from Penguins in Lao, Myanmar
One of the world’s longest established language schools is hoping to find fertile fields in Lao PDR with the signing of a master licensee agreement for the Pingu’s English-language teaching method.
— AEC News Today

See here for more of today’s Lao morning news

Malaysia morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Malaysia must raise productivity to achieve high-income status
Malaysia needs to increase its productivity if it is to achieve its goal to become a high-income nation in the next decade, said International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde.
— The Star Online

Pasir Gudang MP: All chemical factories here should stop operations
All chemical factories in Pasir Gudang should immediately be directed to cease operations to ensure that the air pollution in the area is brought under control and to allow the air quality to improve.
— The Star Online

See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News

Myanmar morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Journalists Face Death Threats, Prison in Myanmar’s Conflict-Torn Rakhine State
First came a death threat, then an arrest warrant. Now, Aung Marm Oo is in hiding, having narrowly escaped capture by slipping away from his brother’s apartment just hours before it was raided by officers from Special Branch, Myanmar’s feared police intelligence unit.
— VOA

Myanmar allows visa-on-arrival for 55 countries
Since Myanmar allowed visa-on-arrival for 55 countries, nearly 400,000 foreign tourists have visited the country over the past three years, generating UA$19.27 million in visa fees, according to the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population.
— Eleven Myanmar

See here for more of today’s Myanmar morning news

Philippines morning news

Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu

Tax haul from more inshore fishing seen at P24B
THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said fishermen should make more use of inshore, municipal waters to boost the government’s ability to tax and modernize the industry.
— BusinessWorld Online

China won’t stop fishing in Philippines’ EEZ, says Duterte
China will continue to fish even in parts of the South China Sea which fall under the Philippines exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, President Rodrigo Duterte indicated on Monday.
— GMA News

Government debt payments in April up 93.3% to P53.8 billion
THE national government’s debt payments for the month of April hit P53.840 billion, or a 93.3-percent increase compared to April 2018, as amortization outpaced interest payments, data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed.
— Business Mirror

See here for more of today’s Philippines morning news

Singapore morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

Headline inflation edges up, core inflation holds steady in May
HIGHER private road transport, retail and food inflation bumped Singapore’s headline inflation higher in May, outstripping economists’ estimates of 0.6 per cent and rising from 0.8 per cent in April, according to consumer price index (CPI) figures released by the Department of Statistics on Monday.
— The Business Times

Engineer pleads guilty to not checking PIE viaduct plans
Permanent structures used in the construction of a Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) viaduct near Upper Changi were so inadequate that they could have collapsed under the weight of a full traffic load and caused an unimaginable number of casualties.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Efforts to fight dengue boosted amid epidemic
Efforts have been stepped up to stop the transmission of dengue amid the current epidemic. Around Woodlands Avenue 6, 360 people have been infected in two dengue clusters which are now the largest here.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

See here for more of today’s Singapore morning news

Thailand morning news

Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ

PM urges Bangkok flood mitigation
The Prime Minister has urged related agencies to find ways to mitigate flooding in Bangkok, and help alleviate public inconvenience.
— NBT World (video)

Thailand aims to become electricity hub of ASEAN
Thailand on Monday has made it clear that it aims to become the electricity hub in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
— Xinhuanet

Suvarnabhumi’s ‘fast track’ scam exposed – AoT crackdown on Thailand’s biggest airport
After allegations of massive fraud in the use of Thailand’s largest airport’s Premium Lanes at immigration, Airports of Thailand (AoT) are cracking down on the use of the so-called ‘fast lanes’ and the hawkers profiting from the reselling of the service.
— The Thaiger

See here for more of today’s Thailand morning news

Vietnam morning news

Compiled by Sreypov Men @MenSreypov

Airports Corporation of Việt Nam aims for 9 per cent higher profit
The Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV) has targeted earning VNĐ19.1 trillion (US$820 million) in revenue and VNĐ8.2 trillion ($355 million) in pre-tax profit in 2019, representing year-on-year increases of 7 per cent and 9 per cent.
— Viet Nam News

‘Critical’ breaches of Vietnam live export trade see more than 1,500 Australian cattle left unaccounted for
More than 1,500 head of cattle and 99 buffalo from Australia have disappeared from approved feedlots or abattoirs in Vietnam over the past 13 months, according to a Federal Department of Agriculture report.
— ABC

Vietnam, South Korea agree to $100B two-way trade target by 2020
VISITING Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and host Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Nak-yeon on Friday agreed to try to lift two-way trade to $100 billion by next year from $65 billion last year, together with reducing Vietnam’s trade deficit.
— The Phnom Penh Post

See here for more of today’s Vietnam morning news

The Asean morning news roundup and its individual country morning news round-ups are the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of news reports from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. We scour hundreds of local and international news and websites to find the things that you need to know to start your working week day.

We clearly identify the source of the story, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you. It’s all then packaged up in an easy to read format enabling you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original source, or keep on reading the headlines. AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.