A longtime advocate of Asean unity, Malaysia is expected to use its diplomatic clout to deepen economic ties within the region and strengthen its partnerships with key partners.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual is optimistic about the Philippines’ export performance following the expansion of the country’s merchandise exports by 26.4% in April 2024 to USD 6.2 billion from USD 4.9 billion in April 2023, according to preliminary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Cumulative merchandise exports for the first four months of the year also increased by 9.6%, reaching USD 24.2 billion compared to USD 22.1 billion in the same period last year, highlighting the export industry’s resilience amidst global economic challenges.
Trade has been a bright spot in the Vietnam-Cambodia relationship, experiencing impressive growth over the past more than a decade and expected to reach 20 billion USD.
The upcoming official visit to Vietnam by Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is expected to open up new opportunities in bilateral relations, aiming towards the prosperous development for both sides.
Vietnam remains a “bright star” of the Southeast Asian region despite power shortages and a weakened realty market last year, according to Kai Wei Ang, an ASEAN economist at the BofA Securities Inc., which is previously the Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Indonesia has reached an agreement with four Chinese carmakers, namely Hapco Neta, Wuling, Chery and Xiaokang, to turn Indonesia into a production center for exporting electric vehicles.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that subsidies for eggs would cost the government RM100 million (US$21.1 million), as opposed to a subsidy allocation of RM927 million in 2023.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is set to talk Wednesday with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with their countries due to ink cooperation pacts on digital economy and green development as they celebrate a half-century of diplomatic relations.
<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
