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Southeast Asian Leaders Emphasise Economic Strength at 34th ASEAN Summit  

Southeast Asian Leaders Emphasise Economic Strength at 34th ASEAN Summit   
Gemunu Amarasinghe/Associated Press © Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand

 

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will need its collective economic strength for bargaining power globally, especially amid the trade tensions between the world’s top two economies, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told a news conference, as chairman of the 34th ASEAN Summit. 

Prayuth urged ASEAN nations to complete negotiations this year for the China-initiated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) pact that includes 16 countries.

“This will help ASEAN handle the changes and uncertainty that will happen in the region going forward, particularly the impacts of trade tension between ASEAN’s important trade partners.” 

Negotiations began in 2012 on RCEP, which envisions the creation of a free trade zone encompassing 45% of the world’s population and more than a third of its GDP, but does not involve the United States. 

Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the 34th ASEAN Summit at the Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand June 23, 2019. Image: REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony of the 34th ASEAN Summit at the Athenee Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand June 23, 2019. Image: REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

First proposed by China, RCEP’s 16 signatories include the 10 ASEAN member states and six Asia-Pacific countries, including major economies China, India, Japan and South Korea. ASEAN has existing free-trade agreements with all six countries.

“If we can do this, we will have the bargaining power and base for negotiation. Because when combined, we are 650 million people, the largest regional bloc in the world,” the Thai prime minister said. 

Four ASEAN countries - Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam - will discuss the trade war in next week’s G20 summit, which assembles 20 major economies, in Tokyo, Prayuth said. 

A plenary session is held at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on Saturday. Image: Antara/Puspa Perwitasari
A plenary session is held at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on Saturday. Image: Antara/Puspa Perwitasari

 

ASEAN countries also agreed on a common approach on a U.S.-led Indo-Pacific initiative, at a time when U.S.-China tensions were rising and forcing ASEAN countries to take sides. 

Prayuth hailed the bloc’s agreement on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific as a “significant step” for the region.

The endorsed outlook document, seen by Reuters, acknowledges “maritime issues such as unresolved maritime disputes that have the potential for open conflict” as existing and emerging geopolitical challenges. 

It outlines maritime cooperation “for peaceful settlement of disputes”. It also aims for connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region.

 


Source : Reuters

Tags: ASEAN Summit
Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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