Assessments of ASEAN as a regional integration endeavour often fail to separate the organisation’s underlying objectives from those that appear on the surface.
Group has to raise visibility of its investment opportunities and promote itself, says Heng
China and Singapore have agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas.
Minister urges bloc to further integrate economies amid simmering trade tensions
With the ongoing trade standoff between the United States and China fuelling fears of a full-blown trade war, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat warned that protectionism could upset the “positive outlook” for the economies of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).
Finance ministers and central bank governors of ASEAN on Friday (Apr 6) reaffirmed their commitment to international trade and investment as they remained “vigilant against risks”, according to a joint statement released after a meeting held in Singapore.
Infrastructure development projects in Southeast Asia will create significant financing needs and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must do more to attract private capital to plug the gap, said Singaporean Minister of Finance Heng Swee Keat.
Asean is expected to grow faster than most other regions this year, but is also facing headwinds that include trade tensions and technological disruptions, Singapore's minister for finance Heng Swee Keat said on Friday (April 6).
<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
