Amid concerns over shrinking global trade because of the high tariffs of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, frameworks to expand free trade like the CPTPP are attracting renewed attention.
Vietnamese President Luong Cuong urged APEC business and policy leaders to embrace “an inclusive, cooperative and human-centered approach” to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Seoul is also considering joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. “If Korea joins CPTPP, I believe Asian nations including Korea and Japan will be better positioned to jointly respond to the transformation of the trade order and...
RCEP is a free trade agreement between China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the ASEAN member states. Based on World Bank data in 2020, the 15 participating countries account for about 29% of the global population or 2.3...
The MoIT requested that the People''s Committees of provinces and cities review and promptly compile information and feedback from the business community regarding any difficulties or obstacles arising, in order to report and propose appropriate solutions.
Deputy Digital Minister Wilson Ugak Kumbong added that the region’s strengths were undeniable, with a population of 680 million, the third-largest internet user base in the world, and more than half of the population under the age of 35.
While there are no clear winners, Laos and Myanmar can be considered losers under a US policy that is shaking up global supply chains, as manufacturers in those countries are subject to a steep 40 percent US import duty.
Malaysia is currently undertaking major legal reforms, including s to the Contracts Act (1950), the Sale of Goods Act (1957), and the drafting of a Cross-Border Insolvency Act aligned with UNCITRAL standards and regional trade agreements such as RCEP and...
The two countries have more room to advance cooperation in green energy, infrastructure development, logistics and advanced manufacturing, said analysts and exporters.
In both countries, production of japonica rice, which is the same short-grain variety as that produced in Japan, has been expanding amid a boom in washoku Japanese cuisine.
The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of the council representing the private sector, driving economic integration, strengthening supply chains, and advancing digital and green transformation, in line with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
In Q1 2025, RMB transactions between China and Malaysia reached 102 billion yuan ($4 billion), up 27 per cent, while those with Cambodia hit five billion yuan ($686 million), a 45 per cent rise.
The agreement is seen to enhance business opportunities across a free trade area of over 703 million people, with a combined gross domestic product of more than US$5.6 trillion (S$7.3 trillion).
The panic buying comes as South Korea was slapped with a 25 per cent reciprocal tariff rate – among the worst-hit of countries with existing free trade agreements with the US.
