Asean Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
ASEAN, China to conduct joint military exercise this year
Military leaders from the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China agreed Tuesday to conduct joint military drills this year, Cambodia’s defense minister told Kyodo News.
— Nikkei Asian Review
ASEAN countries initiate pilot project to reduce post-harvest losses
Delegates from ASEAN countries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jump-start a cooperation pilot project on the reduction of post-harvest losses during a regional consultation meeting on Monday in Bogor, West Java.
— The Jakarta Post
Scale and complexity of terror threat to South-east Asia growing, Asean defence ministers say
The terrorist threat facing South-east Asia is growing as foreign fighters return to the region, South-east Asian defence ministers said in a joint statement today in which they pledged to improve cooperation to tackle militancy.
— Malay Mail Online
Cambodia-Vietnam trade up 30 percent in 2017
Bilateral trade between Cambodia and Vietnam last year increased nearly 30 percent to about $3.8 billion according to Vietnamese state-run media, while Cambodia has yet to report trade statistics for most of 2017.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Malaysia, Singapore to establish cross-border stock trading link by year-end
Malaysian and Singaporean authorities Tuesday said they will jointly work to help establish a cross -border stock trading link between the two neighbors by this year-end as Southeast Asia’s two wealthy nations seek to cut costs and boost efficiency in regional share trading.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Vietnam backs establishment of resilient, innovative ASEAN
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh welcomed the Singapore-proposed theme of building a resilient and innovative Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) while addressing the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) in Singapore on February 5-6.
— VietnamPlus
Indonesia to Send Observers to Monitor Elections in Cambodia
The Indonesian government has agreed to send its observers to monitor the 6th Mandate Election of Members of National Assembly in Cambodia, according to Prak Sokhonn, Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Tuesday.
— Fresh News
Soju of RoK enters Southeast Asia market
Southeast Asia has become an attractive market for manufacturers of soju, a distilled beverage made from grain of the Republic of Korea (RoK) as sales in this market are increasing at a swift pace, reported Yonhap news agency.
— VietnamPlus
Eyeing SE Asia’s $1b market, tokens platform Waves partners Indonesia’s Tokenomy
Blockchain-based token platform Waves has announced a collaboration with Indonesian counterpart Tokenomy to tap opportunities in the Southeast Asian token market, which it said in a blog post is worth $1 billion.
— DealStreetAsia
Malaysia to receive more skilled labourers from Vietnam
Malaysia will consider receiving more skilled Vietnamese labourers and create favourable legal procedures for workers from the country, said Malaysian Foreign Affairs Minister Anifah Aman.
— VietnamPlus
Vietnamese National Assembly presents gifts to Cambodian Senate
The National Assembly of Vietnam has presented the Cambodian Senate with computers, printers, and photocopiers worth over US$140,000.
— Nhan Dan Online
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Cambodia: Opportunities For Improvement Abound, But…
Following its graduation from least developed country (LCD) to lower-middle income status in July 2016 the Cambodia economy has remained healthy. In 2017 Cambodia GDP growth came in at 6.9 per cent, driven by the tourism sector, an ongoing construction boom, and the gradual emergence of non-textile exports.
— AEC News Today
China Becomes the Top First Destination of Cambodia Rice Export
China has become the major Cambodian rice importer for the last three consecutive years from 2015-2017, according to the Statistics of the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export Formality.
— Fresh News
Former Opposition Leader Defends Political Movement Against ‘Terrorist’ Label
Sam Rainsy said the CNRM was formed to peacefully oppose the CPP in Cambodia.
— VOA
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Indonesia’s largest bank posts 49% net profit jump in 2017
Indonesia’s largest bank by assets on Tuesday reported a surge in net profit for 2017 as a rebound in commodity prices helped reduce bad loan provisions, although it said earnings growth will be slower this year due to heated competition.
— Nikkei Asian Review
CPO exports to continue increasing in next 10 years
Economic analyst, Bustanul Arifin, has predicted the export volume and value of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives to continue to rise in the next 10 years.
— Antara
Siemens Indonesia interested in waste-to-energy plants: Official
New PT Siemens Indonesia CEO Prakash Chandran expressed an interest in investing in waste-to-energy plant projects that would be constructed in a number of cities, Industry Ministry machinery and agriculture machinery director Zakiyudin said.
— The Jakarta Post
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat  @leakhenakhat
WHO Backs Lao Government’s Compliance with Tobacco Control Law
World Health Organisation stands with the Lao government, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) to blame Lao Tobacco Company and Lao-China Hong Ta Good Luck Company for their failure to comply with the Tobacco Control Law and its 2016 regulations which requires 75 per cent Pictorial Health Warning (PHW) on all cigarette packs in the Lao PDR.
— Lao News AgencyÂ
Laos-China railway ‘20.3 percent complete’, compensation still unpaid
Construction of the 409-km Laos-China railway was 20.3 percent complete as of December 2017 after a whole year of operations, Lao authorities in charge said last week.
— Vientiane TimesÂ
Lao province gives green light to eco-friendly tourism
While Bokeo province has almost 100 officially listed tourist sites, only 13 of these have been developed to attract visitors, according to the provincial Information, Culture and Tourism Department.
— Borneo BulletinÂ
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
Malaysia and Singapore to set up stock market trading link
Malaysia and Singapore will set up a stock market trading link between Bursa Malaysia (BM) and Singapore Exchange (SGX) by the end of this year, regulators from both countries announced on Tuesday (Feb 6).
— Channel NewsAsia
AirAsia unveils FACES, Malaysia’s first airport facial recognition system
AirAsia Group has unveiled its Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (FACES), Malaysia’s first airport facial recognition system with self-boarding gate, making it the first airline in Asia to offer the latest biometric facial recognition technology.
— New Straits Times
Malaysia: A-BIO backs $5.1m strategic investment in Ain Medicare
A-BIO Sdn Bhd has entered into a strategic collaboration through an RM20 million ($5.1 million) investment in Ain Medicare Sdn Bhd that will see it venture into the manufacturing of higher value bio-based products.
— DealStreetAsia
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat  @leakhenakhat
Ministers underline need to address root causes of Rohingya crisis
Asean foreign ministers have said that they look forward to the safe, dignified and voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, following a briefing on the situation by its Minister for International Cooperation Kyaw Tin.
— The Straits Times (paywall)
Long denied education, Rohingya children start school in exile
OF the 700,000 Rohingya who have fled to Bangladesh, escaping a vicious campaign of ethnic cleansing in Western Burma, there are 450,000 children, most of whom had been denied a formal education under Burma’s system of apartheid.
— Asia CorrespondentÂ
Myanmar policeman who arrested Reuters reporters tells court he burned his notes
A Myanmar police officer who was part of the team that arrested two Reuters journalists in December told a court on Tuesday that he had burned the notes he made at the time, but gave no reason why he had done so.
— ReutersÂ
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat   @leakhenakhat
Philippines Bans Foreign Research Ships, Reversing China Deal
The Philippines said it was suspending joint exploration of undersea resources and would chase off foreign ships conducting research in its territorial waters, after an agreement to allow a Chinese vessel to survey an undersea plateau there triggered a nationalist backlash against President Rodrigo Duterte.
— The Wall Street Journal
Duterte’s Drug War in the Philippines: New Campaign, Old Problems
For the third time since 2016, the Philippine government has relaunched the controversial anti-drug campaign, known locally as Oplan Tokhang, amid continuing concern that the police-led operations have led to massive human rights abuses.
— The DiplomatÂ
Philippines: Japanese experts to set up ‘experimental’ garlic farms
The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is setting up experimental garlic farms in Ilocos Norte.
— Fresh Plaza
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat  @leakhenakhat
Apple Wins Singapore CNY2018 Sadvertisement Battle by TKO (HD video)
With Chinese New Year 2018 (CNY2018) a little more than a week away American multinational technology company Apple has thrown its hat into the Singapore CNY2018 sadvertisement ring with its own take on family togetherness at such a time… and it is awesome!
— AEC News Today
Malaysia, Singapore launch new trade link to boost liquidity
Singapore and Malaysia announced plans on Tuesday for a new trading link between their stock markets by the end of the year that will help lower trading costs and encourage cross-border investments.
— ReutersÂ
Why China is friend and foe at the Singapore Air Show
China’s growing military might is prompting other nations in the region to spend more on weapons.
— CNN MoneyÂ
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre   @photo_journ
Thai economy to receive boost from mid-year state budget
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) has indicated that the Thai economy will benefit from an influx of 150 billion baht from the mid-year government budget.
— NNT
Strong baht, higher wages may slow Thai 2018 export growth to 3.5 pct-shippers
Thailand’s exports may grow at a much slower pace of 3.5 percent this year due to a strong baht and higher wages, after expanding nearly 10 percent in 2017, a group of Thai shippers said on Tuesday.
— Reuters
Government asked to postpone wage hike for one year
The Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC) has called on the government to consider postponing the wage hike plan for a year, allowing businesses to have more time to adjust to the rising costs.
— NNT
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Sreypov Men   @MenSreypov
PVOil launches cashless payment app for drivers
PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PVOil) on Tuesday launched PV Oil Easy, an application for smartphones and tablets that allows users to buy petrol and manage their purchases via a QR code.
— Bizhub
Opposition to Vietnam’s proposed soft drinks tax increases, even among officials
Opposition is gathering pace against proposals from Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance to combat obesity by imposing a 10% tax on sugary drinks from 2019.
— Food Navigator
Vietnam to step up divestment in Petrolimex, Habeco this year
Vietnam’s government is set to further pare its stake in Vietnam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex), Hanoi Beer Alcohol Beverages Corporation (Habeco) and many other enterprises this year.
— DealStreetAsia
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
Asean Morning News is the most comprehensive selection of reports on what you need to know from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. All articles are hand curated by the team at AEC News Today. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.