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ASEAN

Unlevel Playing Field Under Asean-China FTA, Say Aluminium Makers
22-Apr-2010
An unlevel playing field exists under the Asean-China free trade agreement (FTA), according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers Aluminium Manufacturers Group (FMM AMGM).
Goods pact in hand, Asean goes slow on services deal
21-Apr-2010 Economic Times
Having secured a good deal in merchandise trade in the free trade agreement, the ten-member Asean is dragging its feet on meeting India’s demand for liberalising trade in services and investments, especially movement of professionals.
Taiwan seeks closer economic ties with ASEAN
23-Mar-2010 Jakarta Post
Taiwan is looking to negotiate a free-trade agreement with ASEAN as soon as it accomplishes its historic economic partnership with China, slated to be signed this June, say official and scholars.
Obama trip may alter US misperception of Asean, Ministers say
1-Mar-2010 Bloomberg
Southeast Asian countries are split on Obama’s top trade initiative, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he aims to turn into a platform for economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region.
Indian FTAs may hit SE Asian ryots
22-Feb-2010
While India mulls another free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia and New Zealand, its FTAs with European Union and Japan remains shrouded in uncertainty with its decisions regarding intellectual property (IP) rights likely to impact not just India, but other developing South East Asian countries as well.
China set to threaten Indian industry through FTA route via ASEAN countries
18-Feb-2010 Stitch Times
Once India enters into FTA with Asean countries, who have already entered into the similar FTA with China, it is inevitable that Chinese products, imported under FTA within Asean countries could find their way very conveniently into Indian market.
Rural banks decry ASEAN free trade pact
18-Feb-2010 BusinessWorld
The Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines says its sector will suffer greatly as tariffs on farm goods fall in line with the implementation of the ASEAN FTA.
FTA with ASEAN to be widened
16-Feb-2010 The Hindu
India and the ten-member ASEAN block will hold parleys on ways to conclude talks before the August 2010 deadline to widen the scope of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to include services and investment expected to provide huge opportunity to Indian professionals to work in Southeast Asia.
New free trade zone to benefit China
8-Feb-2010 Xinhua
If they dominate the 1.9 billion-population China-ASEAN FTA, Chinese companies could build a platform from which to attack European and North American markets.
India to fast-track talks to sew up ASEAN services trade pact
27-Jan-2010 Economic Times
India will try to expedite negotiations on opening up trade in services with the 10-member ASEAN at a senior officials meeting next week in Jakarta.
Free trade threatens national resilience
23-Jan-2010
Implementation of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) will pose a serious threat to the national economic foundation and resilience.
EU keen on FTA negotiations with Vietnam
20-Jan-2010 VietNamNet
"We want it to start as soon as possible, even next month or in two months’ time if possible," Sean Doyle, ambassador and head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Vietnam, said
EU pushes bilateral trade pact
20-Jan-2010 BusinessWorld
"The Philippines has not so far signaled its readiness to engage in this way," EU Ambassador Alistair MacDonald said, referring to plans to forge bilateral trade pacts after attempts to broker a broader agreement with the 10-member ASEAN hit a roadblock early last year.
Mari Rebuffs Free Trade Agreement Criticism
19-Jan-2010
Indonesian Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu on Monday dismissed criticism that she had been slow to respond to concerns about the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement, insisting the ministry has been engaged in “informal communications” about the deal with Asean.
EU pushes bilateral trade pact
19-Jan-2010
The Philippines might lose an opportunity to get first crack at negotiating a bilateral trade deal with the European Union as three Southeast Asian neighbors are already in line.
Malaysia committed to Asean-China FTA
19-Jan-2010
The Malaysian government is committed to the regional free trade agreement (FTA) with China that came into force on Jan 1, although some parties have expressed concerns the trade liberalisation agreement would hurt local manufacturers.
In the dark on trade deals
19-Jan-2010
Lack of information, coupled with procedural problems, discouraged companies from fully taking advantage of the potential benefits of a free-trade scheme in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), a working paper authored by trade experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) revealed.
Traditional market is not yet ready for free-trade era
15-Jan-2010 Berita Jakarta
"ASEAN-China free trade is an inhuman and immoral trade," says Hasan Basri, head of the Jakarta chapter of Indonesia’s traditional market traders association
The China-Asean free trade area: Propaganda and reality
15-Jan-2010 Inquirer
The propaganda mills, especially in Beijing, have been trumpeting the FTA as bringing “mutual benefits” to China and Asean. The reality, however, is that most of the advantages will probably flow to China, writes Walden Bello.
Indonesia back-tracks on China trade pact
13-Jan-2010 AFP
Indonesia has asked to re-write a new regional trade pact with China, citing fears of job losses due to a flood of cheap Chinese imports across various sectors, officials said Wednesday.