ASEAN talks eye building broader links to create stronger community

MANILA — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its three East Asian dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea on Sunday reaffirmed their aims of stepping up economic cooperation to build a stronger ASEAN Plus Three (APT) community.

Philippine Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo told a news briefing that APT ministers committed themselves to further cooperation efforts with the development of the renewed APT Economic Work Plan that will set broader goals of building a stronger APT community in the long-run.

In relation to the work plan, Rodolfo said the Philippines can benefit from APT cooperation initiatives with priorities given to e-commerce in moving the country toward a digital economy, supply chain connectivity, business development and trade facilitation.

The progress of the work plan could further assist the Philippines in its pursuit toward greater connectivity to Plus Three countries, Rodolfo said, referring to China, Japan and South Korea.

For his part, Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a statement that the ministers also welcomed the efforts of the East Asia Business Council in helping regional enterprises capture digital trade opportunities, find new ways of doing business and enhance engagement.

He said the ministers showed their expectation as well toward APT cooperation in facilitating e-commerce development, Lopez said.

The Philippines, as chair of this year’s ASEAN, is hosting the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ meeting and related meetings.

ASEAN economic ministers kicked off a four-day meeting in Manila on Thursday to discus ways on how to further strengthen economic ties and integrate trade and investment in Southeast Asia.

Also participating the meeting are economic and trade ministers from ASEAN dialogue partners — Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.

Meanwhile, economic ministers from countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership met on Sunday to move forward their talks to establish the proposed regional trade pact.

Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a statement that the ministers are “hard at work to resolve the key outstanding issues” that are slowing down the negotiations and seek options that provide flexibilities to move the RCEP talks forward.

RCEP is a 16-nation proposed free trade pact focused on strengthening ASEAN markets