Australia and Vietnam have elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, aiming to diversify supply chains away from China. Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced the upgrade, reflecting Vietnam's successful "bamboo diplomacy" amid global tensions. The partnership emphasises cooperation in climate, environment, defence, security, and education, with both nations exchanging 12 cooperation documents across various sectors. Australia, a major supplier of essential minerals, is interested in working with Vietnam, a country with substantial unexplored mineral resources
Moldova and France are about to bolster their bilateral relations by signing defence and economic cooperation accords in a major diplomatic step. The announcement came ahead of Moldovan President Maia Sandu's scheduled visit to Paris on Thursday. Against the backdrop of escalating concerns over Russia's alleged attempts to destabilize Moldova, Western powers are rallying to bolster support for the Eastern European nation. President Sandu's visit will take place at the same time when Western nations get together for a high-level audio conference led by France to discuss how to improve aid t
On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India aims to broaden its strategic ties with South Korea, focusing on critical technologies and semiconductors. Jaishankar's goal in visiting South Korea and Japan is to strengthen ties between the two countries and look into potential areas of cooperation. Co-chairing the 10th India-South Korea Joint Commission Meeting in Seoul, Jaishankar emphasised expanding cooperation in defence, science, technology, and trade. Focusing on trilateral cooperation and Indo-Pacific trends, discussions covered a wide range of topics, including peo
South Korea and the United States have appointed envoys, Lee Tae-woo and Linda Specht, respectively, to initiate talks on cost-sharing for American troops stationed in South Korea. The action is unusually early for a contract that is scheduled to start in 2026; it could be an attempt to reach an agreement prior to Donald Trump's possible reelection as US president. Since the early 1990s, South Korea has been paying for local labour and military sites to offset the costs of 28,500 American troops stationed there as a deterrent to North Korea. Both nations aim to strengthen their defence
On Tuesday, presumed Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto assured a smooth power transition and hinted at privatising state-run enterprises while keeping key sectors under government control. He foresees potential 8% annual economic growth over the next few years. Prabowo advocates for a balanced approach where the state regulates strategic areas but allows the private sector to thrive. Prabowo proposes rationalising and privatising state-owned enterprises, emphasising the need for private dominance in various sectors. He vows to continue Joko Widodo's infrastructure modernization and pla
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to address a joint U.S. Congress session on April 11 during his official visit to Washington, which marks the first address by a Japanese leader in nine years. Scheduled to meet President Joe Biden and attend a state dinner on April 10, Kishida aims to reaffirm Japan's alliance with the United States amidst challenges from China and North Korea. Kishida's visit highlights the commitment to peace, prosperity, and global democracy shared by both nations. The topics of discussion will include bolstering cooperation in economic security, outer sp
India and South Africa have officially lodged objections against an investment agreement during a World Trade Organisation (WTO) conference in Abu Dhabi, effectively stalling its adoption. On Wednesday, delegates and a document both confirmed this development. About 125 countries support the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement, which aims to improve the investment climate and encourage foreign direct investment. The document emphasised the absence of unanimous consensus, rendering the matter inappropriate for inclusion in the meeting's agenda. Negotiations geared tow
Qatar aims to strengthen its LNG exports, targeting a 25% global market share by 2030. Amidst the US's export approval pause, Qatar plans a new 16 million tons per year project by 2030. It further aims to increase annual capacity to 142 million tons. Qatar's dominance in LNG has been established by this growth, which is being fueled by 250 trillion cubic feet of additional gas in the North Field. Securing long-term contracts with significant players like China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., Eni SpA, TotalEnergies SE, and Shell Plc is essential to its strategy. With demand expected to incr
TSMC, the leading Taiwanese chipmaker, inaugurated its inaugural Japanese plant, marking its crucial involvement in Tokyo's ambitious endeavour to revitalize its semiconductor manufacturing sector. Japan's reliance on TSMC emphasises its dominant position in the foundry business and concerns over China's technological advancement. TSMC's presence in Japan has catalyzed investment in a sector pivotal for economic security, complementing Japan's support for domestic ventures like Rapidus. By 2027, Taiwan is expected to control two-thirds of advanced foundry capacity, with Japan aiming for a
India emphasized the imperative of addressing geopolitical issues constructively and seeking common ground at a G20 ministerial meeting in Brazil amidst global conflicts. Brazil assumed the G20 Presidency from India on December 1, 2023, marking the first ministerial meeting under its helm. V Muraleedharan, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, highlighted India's stance on various conflicts: advocating for dialogue in the Russia-Ukraine war and supporting a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine. He condemned terrorism and stressed securing sea lanes amidst Red Sea vessel attack