The 26th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)’ Retreat has approved Vietnam’s 12 prioritised initiatives on economic cooperation in ASEAN during the ASEAN Chairman Year 2020.

The ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) proposed initiatives to promote ASEAN investment through trade facilitation at the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) and ABAC Consultation in Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang on March 10.

“One Vision, One Identity, One Community.” That’s the motto of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional intergovernmental organisation made up of 10 countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (ASEAN SOM) was officially opened in the central city of Da Nang on March 4, with a participation of senior leaders from 10 ASEAN countries and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN.

Vietnam is strongly committed to completing the role of ASEAN Chair in 2020, promoting the ASEAN community and foreign affairs as well as improving the working way of ASEAN.

The EU has expressed interest in pursuing a number of free trade agreements (FTAs) in the region, not only with Thailand but eventually with Asean as a whole, says EU-Asean Business Council Chairman Donald Kanak.

The US forcibly tying Chinese import requirements to the trade deal risks violating global trading rules, distorting and diverting world trade, says an observer.

The Indonesian House of Representatives on Feburary 6 ratified the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).

A free-trade deal between the Philippines and the European Union will not likely be concluded soon as conditions in the country are not right enough to hold another round of negotiations.

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue chaired the sixth meeting of the national steering committee for ASEAN single window (ASW), national single window (NSW) and trade facilitation (Committee 1899) in Hanoi on February 6, to implement its tasks set for 2020.