Central News Vietnam: Ends FTA Negotiations with EFTA (CNA Taipei, July 3) Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) officially announced on July 2 that negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two sides have concluded. EFTA, composed of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, and Vietnam completed 21 rounds of formal negotiations, with the final agreement reached at a meeting held in Reykjavik, Iceland. The agreement covers trade in goods and services, investment and government procurement, intellectual property rights, as well as sustainable development and small and medium-sized enterprises. Laos: Signs 10 Community Development Project Agreements with India (CNA Taipei, July 3) The governments of Laos and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 2 to implement 10 quick-impact projects under the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework during the 2026-2027 fiscal year, strengthening bilateral development cooperation and supporting community development across Laos. The Lao News Agency reported that the agreement was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Indian Ambassador Yogeshwar Sangwan and representatives from 10 beneficiary provinces in Laos. The Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs also attended the ceremony as a witness, along with other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian Embassy. Singapore: Economic Growth Forecast Raised Driven by AI Investment and Construction Boom (CNA Taipei, July 3) Several major research institutions in Singapore have raised the country's economic growth forecasts, driven by resilient economic activity, continued increases in AI-related investments, and a booming construction sector. Furthermore, easing geopolitical tensions in West Asia have reduced downside risks to economic growth. DBS Group Research raised its forecast for Singapore's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in 2026 from 2.8% to 4.3%, and its forecast for 2027