Other Briefings
November 2013 ASEAN Regional Meetings
There are a number of important regional forums being held in November, including the ASEAN-Australian New Zealand FTA Economic Cooperation Meeting and the 26th ASEAN-Australia Forum. The key meetings of note for our readers are as follows.
Vietnam Increases Trade Deficit with ASEAN Nations
Oct. 21 – Vietnam has increased its trade deficit by US$2.13 billion during the first nine months of the current fiscal year as imports from other ASEAN nations rose, according to trade statistics published this month. During this time, total trade turnover between Vietnam and the ASEAN bloc totaled US$29.6 billion, with Vietnamese exports growing […]
Laos to Increase Foreign Workers
Oct. 17 – Laos is currently suffering from a shortage of skilled labor and, as a result, the Laotian Ministry of Labor has announced that the country needs to bring in at least 70,000 more foreign workers to support its current workforce. Laos has already brought in 20,000 foreign workers as of late, but it has […]
India to Sign Services and Investment FTA with ASEAN by December
Oct. 16 – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced at the 11th Annual India-ASEAN Summit his country’s readiness to sign an ASEAN-India FTA in Services and Investment by December. If all goes as planned, the FTA will take effect in July 2014. India’s dedication to the region was further emphasized by PM Singh’s plan to […]
ASEAN Boss in Beijing for Talks
Oct. 16 – The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Le Luong Minh, is visiting China this week until Saturday. Minh, who attended the East Asia Summit in Brunei last week along with Chinese Prime Minister Le Keqiang, has agreed with other ASEAN leaders to strengthen political and security cooperation in an effort to enhance peace, stability and […]
U.S.-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement Initiative Praised
Oct. 10 – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, along with several Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders, praised the progress of the U.S.-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement (E3) initiative during the ASEAN Leaders Meeting held in Brunei Darussalam this week. The E3 – which is entering into its second year of implementation – is […]
China & Malaysia to Increase Trade By 60%
Oct. 5 – Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed a five year trade deal with his Malaysian counterpart Prime Minister Najib Razak that will boost bilateral trade between the two countries by 60 percent to US$160 billion in the next five years. The two countries also upgraded their relationship to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” Malaysia […]
Xi Again Proposes an ASEAN Infrastructure Bank
Chinese President on tour visiting Indonesia & Malaysia prior to APEC Summit Indonesia Oct. 3 – Chinese President Xi Jinping has again suggested the development of an ASEAN Bank that would invest in infrastructure throughout the region and that China would be prepared to invest in. China is not a member of ASEAN. Xi was […]
October 2013 ASEAN Regional Meetings
This month there are a number of important international ASEAN summits being held in Brunei, including the first ASEAN-United States summit. The key meetings of note for our readers are as follows.
Manila Appoints Crack Legal Team to Oppose Beijing
Sept. 29 – The government of the Philippines has assembled a “formidable” international legal team to fight its case against China’s claims in the South China Sea before a United Nations arbitration tribunal. The Philippines’ lead legal counsel, Washington-based Maritime law expert Paul Reichler, has said his five-strong team includes British law professors Philippe Sands […]
