As the ASEAN chair next year, Malaysia will lead the regional grouping to ease the US – China tensions, address lingering crisis in Myanmar, and handle issues arising with its neighbours, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Vietnam is ranked fifth in the list of the world’s most optimistic countries on economic prosperity in 2017, according to a survey by WIN/Gallup.

The Philippines and the US held the sixth bilateral strategic dialogue in Washington DC on March 17 and 18 to reinforce and enhance the alliance across a broad range of shared interests and priorities