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ASEAN

Thailand’s challenges on TPP framework
16-Feb-2016 The Nation
Thailand has decided to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). That will be the key message Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will deliver to President Barack Obama at the special Asean-US meeting.
Obama to push trade agenda at summit with Southeast Asian nations
15-Feb-2016 The Japan Times
A summit between Southeast Asian leaders and President Barack Obama is unlikely to deliver any big economic prizes, but will allow the American side to press the advantages of joining a Pacific trade pact that doesn’t include China.
AEC not so sweet a deal: sugar exporter
2-Feb-2016 Khmer Times
The sweet promise that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) would pave the way for a single market among the 10-member bloc of more than 600 million people at the end of last year has so far excluded sugar exports from Cambodia.
Trade-friendly Vietnam now offers far more than just low-cost labor
11-Jan-2016 Thanh Nien News
Chairman of the EU-ASEAN Business Council explains why foreign investors are interested in Vietnam
Hun Sen to join Asean leaders in US meeting with Obama
7-Jan-2016 VOA
Prime Minister Hun Sen will join other Asean leaders for a special meeting with US President Barack Obama.
Eyeing Beijing, Obama plans summit with ASEAN leaders
7-Jan-2016 Nikkei
The U.S. aims to build a unified front against China’s efforts to control the South China Sea. Obama is expected to call for ASEAN members’ cooperation and urge more of them to join the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.
No fanfare as AEC era begins
7-Jan-2016 TTR weekly
Southeast Asian nations officially launched an EU-inspired economic bloc aimed at boosting the region’s trading clout and attracting more investment. But analysts said a true single market was still a long way off.
AEC ‘ignoring human rights’
7-Jan-2016 The Jakarta Post
Upholding human rights and democratic values is not in the interests of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), since member states are driven only by market-oriented goals.
How TPP can disrupt ASEAN economic integration
6-Jan-2016 The Jakarta Post
The inclusion of some ASEAN members in the TPP and the exclusion of the rest has potential disruptive effects on ASEAN economic integration.
Singapore minister calls for resumption of EU-ASEAN free trade talks - report
29-Dec-2015
Singapore’s trade and industry minister has called for a resumption of free trade talks between the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations now that problems over Myanmar have been removed, a German newspaper said.
Only 11.4% of SMEs say they are set for AEC
10-Dec-2015 The Nation
Nien out of 10 Thai small and medium-sized enterprises say they are not ready for the Asean Economic Community
ASEAN reinforces commitment to RCEP
2-Dec-2015 Tax News
The leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) looked forward to the early conclusion of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade treaty.
Asean, China sign FTA upgrade protocol
24-Nov-2015 Financial Express
Asean and China signed the protocol to amend the existing FTA to an upgraded version.
ASEAN | SE Asia creates economic community, but challenges remain
23-Nov-2015 Macau Daily Times
Thirteen years after mooting the idea, Southeast Asian leaders formally created a unified economic community.
AEC set to miss deadline for free-trade bloc
21-Nov-2015 The Bangkok Post
The Asean Economic Community was scheduled to set up a free-trade bloc by the end of 2015 but legislative foot-dragging and obstructive border practices have effectively prevented the free movement of goods, services and workers.
Roundup: Civil society groups demand to be heard in building ASEAN
20-Nov-2015 Global Post
Civil society organizations are complaining that they are being shut out of the official process during a pivotal stage of ASEAN’s development, as it seeks to develop the ASEAN Economic Community
‘Political will’ may no longer be the bane of AEC
14-Oct-2015 The Establishment Post
With less than three months before AEC is launched, the business community is still not convinced that the governments in Asean are politically committed towards AEC. Many feel the countries in the region are not pulling up their socks to remove non-tariff barriers
Asean officials in Busan to kick off free trade deal
12-Oct-2015
Trade officials from Asean and six of its dialogue partners are in Busan, South Korea, to kick-start a regional free trade deal that almost stalled after three years of negotiations.
FTA moves to gain momentum
8-Oct-2015 ECNS
China will step up efforts to forge more bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements in the Asia-Pacific region to reduce the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact.
Comment - Initiatives for transforming the global economy
23-Sep-2015 The Sun Daily
A number of important initiatives linked largely to the economy made public in the last few years may have a huge impact upon the future of humankind. ASEAN and China have played a pioneering role in some of them.