Malaysian Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz described the plan as a "blueprint for regional economic transformation" that will drive sustainable growth and deeper integration.

Carlyle A. Thayer said that in January this year, the Press Statement after the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat identified the following priorities set by Malaysia as ASEAN Chair for 2025: “advancing ASEAN’s collective vision of a resilient, people-centred, forward looking ASEAN Community while advancing economic growth and regional connectivity, and enhancing regional resilience.”

The 26th ASEAN Insurance Regulators’ Meeting (AIRM26) and the 49th ASEAN Insurance Council Meeting (AIC49) opened in Ha Long city, the northern province of Quang Ninh, on December 7.

Joining the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was the first step of Vietnam in the process of international integration, and the bloc has served as a gateway for the country’s integration into the region and the world, an official has said.

Vietnam proposed a resolution on strengthening intra-regional cooperation to build an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) of equal development and inclusive growth at the second plenary session of the 38th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly in the Philippines on September 19.

Vietnam’s economy is well positioned for growth in international trade and will continue to experience high growth over the next three to five years.

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho wants to capitalise on chances in economic activities with ASEAN, especially the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Quang Hoai Nam has said.

The ASEAN Economic Community has yet there are few signs of Vietnamese enterprises in this marketplace. This was the opinion of many participants in the seminar held recently in Hanoi.

“ASEAN at 50: ASEAN Economic Community and the Opportunities for Vietnamese Businesses” is the theme of a conference in Hanoi on July 19 to mark the 50th founding anniversary of the ten-member group.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Thai Ministry of Commerce jointly organised a workshop to promote trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand in Hanoi on May 23.

Domestic enterprises should stay more proactive and have wider vision for effective integration in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

The impact of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on the lives of students and young workers in HCM City was the main focus of a conference in HCM City on December 25.

The task of cuting trade deficit with ASEAN is huge for Vietnam as it involves a wide range of efforts from reforming technology to improving product quality, according to trade officials.

A forum on how to seize investment and trade opportunities in the ASEAN region took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 23, gathering businessmen, economic experts and policy makers regionally and internationally.

A forum giving an overview of the ASEAN Economic Community and relevant agreements was held in the central city of Da Nang on November 11.

ASEAN and the Republic of Korea (RoK) have huge potential to step up their comprehensive economic cooperation in the coming time, experts said at the ASEAN – RoK economic partnership forum.

A workshop was held in Hanoi on November 2 to enhance domestic enterprises’ exports to ASEAN nations.

Vietnam has become a big importer for goods from ASEAN countries seven months after joining in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has said.

US enterprises are considering Vietnam as a priority market in the ASEAN region for their business and investment expansion in 2017, according to he 2017 ASEAN Business Outlook Survey.

Many industries in Vietnam, especially those relating to engineering, information technology, health care, textiles and footwear, are forecast to have a great demand for employees in the coming years.