28 Aug 2018
ASEAN Economic Ministers meet in Singapore
Source: ASEAN Secretariat News
Singapore, 28 August 2018 – Singapore is hosting the 50th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Meeting and Related Meetings starting today until 1 September. The ministers will call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore tomorrow morning. Chan Chun Sing, Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry, will chair the series of meetings.
In line with the theme of Singapore’s 2018 ASEAN Chairmanship – “Resilient and Innovative”, economic priority deliverables for this year are being pursued under the five key thrusts of promoting innovation and e-commerce flows, improving trade facilitation in ASEAN, deepening services and investment integration, cultivating a conducive regulatory environment, and progressing ASEAN’s external relations.
The 50th AEM Meeting will deliberate, among others, on the progress of these economic priority deliverables, ASEAN economic performance, implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), and ASEAN external economic relations.
The 50th AEM Meeting will be held back-to-back with the AEM-32nd ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Council Meeting and the AEM-21st ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) Council Meeting, and will be preceded by the 10th Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam (CLMV) Economic Ministers’ Meeting.
Following the 50th AEM Meeting, the ASEAN economic ministers will meet with their counterparts from Dialogue Partner countries namely Australia and New Zealand (Closer Economic Relations), Canada, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States, as well as with private sector representatives from the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) and other regional business councils.
The 21st ASEAN Plus Three Consultations is scheduled on 30 August, while the 6th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial Meeting will be held on 30-31 August and the 6th East Asia Economic Ministers’ Meeting on 1 September.
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