1. Economic Ministers from the ten ASEAN Member States and Minister of Commerce of China met on 23 August 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Fourteenth AEM-MOFCOM Consultations. The Consultations were co-chaired by H.E. Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade & Industry of Malaysia and H.E. Gao Hucheng, Minister of Commerce of China.
2. The Ministers noted the strong economic relationship between ASEAN and China, and were pleased that China maintained its position as ASEAN’s largest trading partner. By the end of 2014, ASEAN total trade with China reached USD 366.5 billion and accounting for 14.5 per cent of ASEAN’s total trade. In 2014, ASEAN received USD 8.9 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from China, accounting for 7.1 per cent of total inflows to ASEAN. According to China’s statistics, trade volume between China and ASEAN reached USD 480.4 billion in 2014, an increase of 8.3 per cent year-on-year, accounting for 11.2 per cent of China’s total trade.
ASEAN-China Free Trade Area Agreement
3. The Ministers noted the progress made in the negotiations on Upgrading of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area Agreement (ACFTA), and welcomed the finalization of the Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation (CPTF) provisions. The Ministers underscored the importance of maintaining the momentum and urged officials to expedite the negotiations toward the conclusion of the ACFTA Upgrading by November 2015. The Ministers agreed that any remaining elements of the Upgrading shall be included as a built-in agenda of the ACFTA.
Download the full Joint Media Statement here.
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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.Menu - WHAT WE DO
ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat
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ASEAN shall develop friendly relations and mutually beneficial dialogues, cooperation and partnerships with countries and sub-regional, regional and international organisations and institutions. This includes external partners, ASEAN entities, human rights bodies, non-ASEAN Member States Ambassadors to ASEAN, ASEAN committees in third countries and international organisations, as well as international / regional organisations.
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The rodmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015) was declared by the leaders in 2009. The ASEAN Community, anchored on three community pillars: Political-Security Community, Economic Community, Socio-Cultural Community was launched in 2015. The ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together was introduced in 2015 as a Post-2015 Vision. It comprises the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025
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