Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin had a telephone conversation yesterday focusing on regional and international issues of common interest in the context of the pandemic. The two leaders agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations through trade and cooperation mechanisms.

Given the excellent management of the pandemic, the country has attracted the attention of the European and international community. However, it seems that international arrivals, especially from some European countries, could remain blocked until 2021. Nicolas Audier, President of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, argues that Hanoi should allow European citizens to enter the country, so as to maximize the entry into force of the free trade agreement with the EU.

With the aim of supporting the economy affected by the virus, Hanoi is pushing to increase public and private investment throughout the country. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has given the green light for a $9.3 billion investment in the tourism sector led by Vingroup, Vietnam's largest private conglomerate. Foreign financiers will also participate in the deal, considered one of the largest investments in recent years.

A group of investors led by the American fund KKR paid 650 million dollars for a stake in the real estate arm of the largest Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup. KKR representatives stated that they, together with other investors, including the Singapore Temasek state investment fund, have acquired 6% of Vinhomes, Vingroup's real estate division. Vietnam thus confirms itself as one of the major beneficiaries of the diversification that many companies are pursuing in this uncertain environment.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung announced that ASEAN countries and China will resume negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which have been slowing down due to the spread of the coronavirus. The meeting will take place on July 1 and will be an opportunity to discuss the next steps in the Code negotiations.

Automakers operating in Southeast Asia are moving in low gear as they bring plants back online after weeks of suspended production due to the coronavirus pandemic. Safety protocols and weak sales force them to proceed slowly in restarting operations.

The pandemic has affected ASEAN countries differently. An interesting in-depth study of the European Parliament's research service analyses the health, economic and political impact of Covid-19 in ASEAN countries.

Sri Trang Gloves, Thailand's largest manufacturer of medical gloves, is raising funds to increase production capacity and meet the substantial increase in demand for its products due to the pandemic.

Indonesia's state-owned mining holding company will acquire a 20% stake in the local subsidiary of Brazilian mining giant Vale, operator of the world's largest nickel mine on the island of Sulawesi.

The ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and The Asia Foundation have come together, to launch the Go Digital ASEAN initiative. Supported by a USD3.3 million grant from Google.org, the initiative is designed to equip micro and small enterprises as well as underemployed youth, particularly those in rural and isolated areas, with crucial digital skills and tools; expand economic opportunity across ASEAN Member States (AMS); and minimize the negative impact from the COVID-19 crisis.

Le difficoltà della Malesia. Il crollo dei prezzi di petrolio e gas causati dalla pandemia rappresentano un duro colpo per l'economia malese. Il governo di Muhyiddin Yassin si trova di fronte ad una sfida complessa, rilanciare l’economia in un contesto globale di incertezza e volatilità, che indebolisce settori chiave dell'economia del Paese