The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) will launch a common electronic news portal this month to serve as a bridge connecting people, businesses and governments in the region, according to reports.

The news portal AsiaNews.Net, an initiative from Vietnam, aims to increase exchange of information and boost comprehensive cooperation among ASEAN members - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

The establishment of the portal will be based on a partnership among online newspapers of the ASEAN members, communication organisations, and international business and academic community in the region and the world, reported local newspaper Youth Monday.

The portal will provide free email and message services to people and mobile phone users in the region.

At the 2nd meeting of the e-ASEAN Business Council (e-ABC), the council's chairman Nguyen Anh Tuan said the portal was expected to develop into an information gateway of the ASEAN, helping to improve the block's voice in terms of both politics and economy in the world.

The e-ASEAN Business Council meeting, under the framework of the 5th ASEAN Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministers Meeting (TELMIN 5) is underway here from Sep 26 to 30. Some 30 delegates from seven of the 10 ASEAN member countries are participating.