Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - The Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP) was discussed at the ASEAN-China and ASEAN-IndiaSummits in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 3.
“Most of the terms for the RCEP have been finalised and concluded. Only onecountry with a ‘not clear’ decision…just wait for the leaders’ statementtomorrow,” Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk DarellLeiking was quoted by Malaysia’s national news agency Bernama as saying onNovember 3.
Despite being disappointed with the negotiations, Malaysian Prime Minister MahathirMohamad said concluding the multilateral agreement is not easy as it needsagreement from all 16 RCEP countries.
“We need an agreement from all 16 countries...if one country demands somethingand we cannot accept it, then there will be no agreement,” he told the Malaysianmedia when asked to comment about the conclusion of the RCEP after a seven-yeardelay.
The RCEP is a multilateral trade agreement between the 10 member states ofASEAN -- Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines,Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- and its six Free Trade Agreement (FTA)partners, namely China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealandand India.
RCEP member countries have a combinedpopulation of 3.56 billion people and a trade value of over 1 trillion USD, or29 percent of the global total./.
Leaders of the Southeast Asian countries met for a second day on November 3 within the framework of the 35th ASEAN Summit and related summits in Thailand, hoping for a breakthrough in the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc shared other leaders’ view on the progress in the ASEAN-India strategic partnership at a summit between the two sides in Bangkok on November 3 morning.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) joined Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 22nd ASEAN-China Summit in Bangkok on November 3.
Thailand has urged Japan to help finalise the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade agreement grouping the 10 ASEAN countries and six other nations.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
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.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
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.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
