The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected people's health but also disrupted supply chains, negatively affecting the global and regional economy. Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh talks with Vietnam News Agency about plans for economic recovery, and the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that was held via video conference.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has always tried to reassure her citizens and continue to build her reputation as a capable leader, ready to face the difficult challenges the country will face in the coming months. Between managing the health emergency and relaunching her public image, she is preparing for political confrontation with the military of next November's elections.

In a new Brookings Institution report, economist David Dollar analyzes China’s Belt and Road Initiative. According to the expert, the US should try to counter Chinese influence in the Southeast Asian region by building strong economic relations with the Countries of the area.

After the trade deals signed with Singapore and Vietnam, the European Union seems determined to conclude trade agreements with other ASEAN countries as well. Talks with Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are in progress, but have proven to be difficult. Negotiations with Malaysia have stalled for years, with prevailing issues, particularly the EU’s plan to ban palm oil imports, taking precedence. The EU, however, is not giving up.

Navi militari americane supportano la Malesia contro la pressione cinese nel Mar Cinese Meridionale. Negli ultimi giorni gli USA hanno inviato tre navi da guerra a pattugliare alcune stazioni petrolifere e del gas al largo della costa malese, messe sotto pressione dalla marina cinese. La mossa servirebbe a dimostrare il sostegno americano alle nazioni del Sud-Est asiatico e a bilanciare l’influenza cinese nella regione

Frena la crescita in Malesia. L'economia malese è cresciuta dello 0,7 % nel primo trimestre del 2020, ben al di sotto del 4,5 % registrato un anno prima. L'impatto della pandemia inizia a farsi sentire sull'economia malese, già in difficoltà anche per il crollo dei prezzi del petrolio. Avanza dunque lo spettro della recessione in Malesia.

Thailand achieved an important milestone Wednesday, reporting zero new confirmed COVID-19 cases for the first time in over two months. According to the Ministry of Public Health, the last time the kingdom reported no daily increase was on March 9. Until Tuesday, Southeast Asia's second-largest economy had recorded single-digit increases for eight consecutive days.

Prime misure a Singapore per far ripartire l'economia. All’inizio dell’emergenza Singapore è stata presa a modello dalla comunità internazionale per la gestione efficace del virus. Tuttavia, l’incremento dei contagi aveva costretto le autorità a mettere in atto parziali lockdown e misure restrittive. Ora la città-Stato sembra pronta a ripartire e il governo si sta muovendo per organizzare la nuova fase.

On Saturday one of the ASEAN countries most affected by the coronavirus epidemic will start easing restrictions on economic activities. The Philippines is slowly trying to reopen, starting from the capital, Manila, the economic and political centre of the country.

In an attempt to support businesses struggling to recover from the severe economic impact of the pandemic, the Vietnamese Central Bank has cut interest rates for the second time in two months. The authorities seem determined to make the country able to restart, with the aim of registering significant growth in spite of the crisis

During a major online meeting with national and international companies, the Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc announced Vietnam aims for a full recovery at a targeted 5% growth, despite the International Monetary Fund forecasts are predicting a 2,7% growth in 2020. The Vietnamese government hopes to achieve the higher result by means of attracting new investors.

Thailand’s cabinet approved on Tuesday a plan to spend 400 billion baht ($12.45 billion) to create jobs and strengthen southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, which appears headed for recession because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The flow of tourists to Thailand could collapse by 65% in 2020 due to the pandemic that is forcing governments to limit travel. This year Thailand is likely to record the lowest figure in the last 14 years, at a time when the COVID-19 emergency is truly causing difficulties for the tourism sector all over the world.

The government has decided to triple its debt issuance to Rp 1 quadrillion (US$67.1 billion) this year to finance Indonesia’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ripartono le fabbriche in Malesia. Sharp, Sony e Panasonic hanno riavviato le linee di produzione in Malesia dopo che il governo ha allentato alcune restrizioni alle attività economiche. La Malesia è infatti al centro delle catene di fornitura dell’industria elettronica giapponese, fornendo componenti per altre fabbriche e prodotti finiti per l’esportazione.

Myanmar plans to launch its first satellite in 2021, using Japanese technology. Engineers and researchers in the country will develop an ultrasmall satellite and launch it into Earth orbit with the help of Japan's Hokkaido University and Tohoku University.

For a decade all eyes have been on China, but now the attention of the international community is shifting to Southeast Asia, a region rich of opportunities, with a young, dynamic and large population.

The Russian Ambassador to the Philippines, Igor Khovaev, assures the support of the Russian Federation to ASEAN member countries for a stronger collaboration in the hard fight against the coronavirus pandemic. An online meeting is expected to be held soon to share intervention modalities and good health practices.

During a video conference between the Trade Ministers of the two Countries, it was decided that the application of the Indonesia-Australia Global Economic Partnership Agreement will begin on July 5. This global partnership agreement between the two States, ratified by Jakarta in late February, will guarantee facilitations and increase in exports.

The Philippine economy contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2020 due to the stop of commercial activities and the collapse of household consumption, which paralyzed the economic system. This is the first contraction in the country's real GDP since the fourth quarter of 1998, exactly 21 years ago.