Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BANGKOK, November 3. /TASS/. Russia advocates the establishment of the Greater Eurasian Partnership involving the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the Business and Investment Summit of the Association of ASEAN.

"We advocate the formation of the Greater Eurasian Partnership with the participation of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, ASEAN, SCO and other possible structures," he said.

BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- China's lunar rover Yutu-2 has driven 318.62 meters on the far side of the moon to conduct scientific exploration of the virgin territory.

Both the lander and the rover of the Chang'e-4 probe have ended their work for the 11th lunar day, and switched to dormant mode for the lunar night on Monday (Beijing time), according to the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration.

The rover is now located 218.11 meters northwest of the lander.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia’s trade surplus in the first nine months of 2019 widened by 15.3 per cent to RM100.86 billion, compared with RM87.47 billion registered in the same period last year.

This was the largest January-September trade surplus recorded during the last 10 years, the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) said in a statement today.

In September 2019, the trade surplus was valued at RM8.34 billion, a decline of 46.5 per cent year-on-year.

BANGKOK, Nov 4 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia is still in talks with Goldman Sachs on the amount of compensation over the 1MDB scandal it expects to get from the investment bank and financial services company.

Malaysian prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who is here for the 35th ASEAN Summit, disclosed that Kuala Lumpur rejected a previous Goldman Sachs offer as it was deemed too low.

Bangkok, Nov 4; AFP/GANASHAKTI:  Several Southeast Asian leaders snubbed a meeting with US officials on Monday after President Donald Trump decided not to attend a regional summit in Bangkok

Just three leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) showed up to the session, along with a host of foreign ministers

Trump has been accused of turning his back on Asian allies for pulling out of a major trade pact, as fellow superpower China pursues its own deals and investment projects in the region.

BANGKOK, Nov 3 (NNN-XINHUA) – The 35th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and related summits, kicked off here today, with multi-lateralism and connectivity taking centre stage.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said, to create a prosperous and sustainable region, “we should continue to work to conclude negations on RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) within this year, to stimulate economic growth, as well as, trade and investment.”

BANGKOK, November 3. /TASS/: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev criticized the US concept of a "free and open Indo-Pacific region." It is a serious challenge for ASEAN, he noted in an interview with Bangkok Post on the eve of the ASEAN Business Investment Summit and the 14th East Asia Summit.

BANGKOK, November 3. /TASS/: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on the sidelines of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Bangkok on Sunday.

The two Premieres greeted each other warmly.

"During multilateral events, our meetings have become a good tradition," Medvedev said at the start of the talks. He also asked his counterpart to give his regards to the King of Cambodia.

The negotiations continued behind closed doors.

BANGKOK, November 3. /TASS/: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called for joint efforts with ASEAN countries to de-monopolize the high-tech industry. He voiced this proposal in his speech at the ASEAN-2019 Business and Investment Summit.

"Companies and entire countries are getting increasingly dependent on hardware and software. Several corporations have great opportunities in this sector and in fact they often dominate the market," he said.

SHANGHAI/PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron will seek to make China deliver on promises to grant more access to foreign companies, eyeing agribusiness and finance, advisers said ahead of his arrival in Shanghai for a giant import fair.

Macron, who will attend the fair along with other European officials including incoming EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan, would take China “at its word” that it aims to open itself up to trade, a presidential adviser said ahead of the Nov. 4-6 trip.