After years of arduous negotiations, the EU is closing on a string of bilateral trade deals with countries in Southeast Asia. And yet, a bloc-to-bloc agreement between the EU and ASEAN remains a distant prospect.
The 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Thailand in 2026 represents an important milestone and an opportunity for the deeper development of the five-decade partnership, while laying a stronger foundation for the economic cooperation between the two countries in the years ahead.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in New York on Sept 22, 2026, that he would use his three-day programme to strengthen investor confidence and promote Thailand as a regional trade and economic hub.
The state visit to Canada by General Secretary and President To Lam, beginning September 24, 2026, comes as Viet Nam-Canada relations expand beyond trade into investment, energy, technology, critical minerals and stronger supply-chain resilience…
A lengthy conflict in the Middle East in combination with other headwinds could take a big toll on activity around the world, the Paris-based research body said.
The upgraded Asean Trade in Goods Agreement (Atiga) is expected to take effect by end-2026, ahead of the original mid-2027, said Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The diplomatic thaw since August springs from Hanoi’s and Naypidaw’s strategic calculations. Both sides are willing to stabilise relations — without making irreversible commitments.
At a time when much of the world is building digital walls, Southeast Asia is trying something more ambitious: building a digital bridge.
<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
