SACRAMENTO, U.S.-After almost two years of shilly shallying, the Philippines is joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as the last of the present 14-member Asia-Pacific free trade grouping. The others are Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--Gabungan Kedaulatan Negara, a platform of civil society organisations, economists and labour groups would like to respond to the statements of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) dated 29 November and the Malaysian Consortium of Mid-Tier Companies (MCMTC) dated 4 December with regard to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia–With the upcoming inaugural visit by the Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to Vietnam on March 20, it is expected that new opportunities will be explored for the betterment of bilateral ties as well as the strengthening of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
BEIJING, China--US President Joe Biden will host Southeast Asian leaders for a special summit in late March, the White House announced on Monday. Given the Biden administration's recent release of its Indo-Pacific strategy that is said to rely on partnerships to counter China's growing influence in the region, the summit could be another attempt by Washington to rope in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to form a united front against China.
LONDON, UK--Two years into the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to take surprising turns, disrupting the global economy through multiple channels—public health, work, education, travel, consumer spending patterns, production of goods and services, and international trade flows.
SACRAMENTO, U.S.--The Biden White House has issued its strategy outline for the Asia-Pacific Region. But while the paper is long on platitudes about re-engagement, it is short on specifics and addresses one element – strengthening the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – which seems pure fantasy.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia--The continued tensions between China and the U.S. Is forcing members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) into opposing camps, harming regional diplomatic and trade ties at a time these countries are struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
BEIJING, China--Trade between China and the US soared by 28.7 percent and amounted to $755.6 billion in 2021 - maintaining a strong growth momentum and contributing 12 percent to China's record $6 trillion foreign trade for the year despite tariffs and bruising political tensions between the world's two largest economies.