Member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), including the Philippines, need to ensure the continuous strengthening of capacity building on negotiations for regional trade agreements (RTA) and free trade agreements (FTA).
As the Asia–Europe Meeting (ASEM) enters the third decade, it is time to build a vision for a responsible and responsive ASEM as a champion for multilateral cooperation, said a senior Vietnamese official.
If realised, the free trade agreement between the 10 Asean members and their six dialogue partners - Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea - will create the world's largest trading bloc, covering almost a third of the global economy.
East Asia is in the middle of hosting leaders from some of the largest and most powerful countries in the world. Between the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam, and the East Asia Summit (EAS) meeting in Angeles in the Philippines, leaders from 10 of the G20 members will gather alongside the other smaller Asian and Pacific economies.
A free trade agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and Thailand is likely to be signed within next five months, an official said on Friday.
This year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India are celebrating 25 years of dialogue, 15 years of summit level meetings, and five years of strategic partnership.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members would agree that among Asean’s many dialogue partnerships, Asean plus China stands out as the most vibrant pair with the most substantial cooperation.
ASEAN member states have signed an agreement on the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers – more than a decade after originally pledging to do so.
<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
