ASEAN, Japanese Economic Ministers seek measures to boost economic recovery
The 26th Consultation between ASEAN Economic Ministers and the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry took place on August 28 within the framework of the 52nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM-52).
Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - The 26th Consultations between ASEANEconomic Ministers and the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industrytook place on August 28 within the framework of the 52nd ASEANEconomic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM-52).
The event wasco-chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh and JapaneseMinister Kajiyama Hiroshi.
The participatingministers noted that total trade between ASEAN and Japan reached 225.9 billionUSD in 2019, accounting for 8 percent of the bloc’s total. Japan’s investmenttotalled 20.4 billion USD, or 12.7 percent.
These figures madeJapan ASEAN’s fourth-largest trade partner and second-largest investor last year.
Delegates expressedconcern over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people’s lives and regionaland international economies.
They reaffirmed a commitmentto joining hands to mitigate any negative impacts of the pandemic and to exertingevery effort to ensure macro-economic and financial sustainability throughmarket re-opening for trade and investment, as well as the sustainability ofsupply chains, in particular those for necessities such as medical supplies, pharmaceuticals,and food.
The ministersstressed the importance of joint efforts in fostering economic development andsocial stability in the region, including the signing of the RegionalComprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) this year.
They alsoacknowledged the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN-JapanEconomic Resilience Action Plan they adopted at their virtual meeting on July29. The plan includes specific measures to sustain the close economic tiesdeveloped by ASEAN and Japan, mitigate the adverse impact of COVID-19 oneconomies, and strengthen economic resilience in response to the challengesbrought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ministers alsowelcomed the first protocol to amend the ASEAN-Japan Agreement on ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (AJCEP), which took effect on August 1./.
Economic ministers in ASEAN member states and Japan approved the ASEAN - Japan Economic Resilience Action Plan at a virtual meeting chaired by Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh on July 29, as part of the efforts to promote solidarity between the two sides in combating COVID-19.
The first protocol to amend the ASEAN-Japan Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) officially took into effect in Japan and the five ASEAN member states of Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam on August 1.
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The ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee held an online consultation with dialogue partners and other partners on August 26 under the chair of Ambassador Tran Duc Binh, head of Vietnam’s delegation to ASEAN.
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The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
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ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh (Source: VNA) 
