Other Briefings
Special Economic Zones in Myanmar
Following its rapid economic growth in the aftermath of democratic and economic reforms, Myanmar began to further facilitate the establishment of special economic zones (SEZs) to foster greater foreign investment.
Report: U.S. Should Prioritize Engagement with ASEAN
Jun. 26 – With a GDP of $2.2 trillion, ASEAN is made up of over 620 million people spanning the 10 nations of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The region is host to the largest inflows of United States (U.S.) foreign direct investment (FDI) in Asia, and […]
China-ASEAN Expo To Strengthen Economic Ties
Jun. 21 – The upcoming China-ASEAN Expo will boost trade and investment relations between China and the 10-nation ASEAN bloc. Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh specifically highlighted the importance of the expo for regional economic growth. “The expo is an international significant event to boost the development of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area,” Prasidh said […]
ASEAN’s Rising Minimum Wage Levels: Indonesia
Investors have complained that the somewhat drastic minimum wage hikes amongst ASEAN nations have hurt the market in terms of global competitiveness. In this article we will discuss the impact of recent minimum wage changes in Indonesia on conducting business in the country.
ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard
Jun. 11 – The ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) and the Asian Development Bank recently established a joint initiative called the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard. Corporate governance refers to the system of governance which controls and directs corporations, and monitors their actions and policies. The stated objective of the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard is to: […]
ASEAN Customs Meeting Held in Singapore
Jun. 7 – From June 4 to 6, Singapore hosted ASEAN’s Customs Directors to greater facilitate regional coordination of their customs operations. The directors will be working to further integrate their customs processes. The customs meeting provides an annual forum to discuss strategy and policy for all ASEAN customs operations. “The meeting is an annual […]
ASEAN SMEs Bolstered After Singapore-Japan MoU
May 29 – Japanese and Singaporean SMEs are set to receive a boost after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked this week between SPRING Singapore, Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), and the Mizuho Corporate Bank (MHCB). The agreement will support business collaboration between the two countries through the facilitation of investment and sharing […]
EU Lends its Support to ASEAN Over South China Sea Disputes
May 24 – Officials in the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) have recently confirmed that senior officials from the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) met with officials from the European Union (EU) in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to discuss the issue of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Currently there are numerous […]
The Philippines Tops List of Southeast Asia Remittances
May 23 – A recently released report from the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Bank has found that remittance inflows from every Southeast Asian country have significantly increased from 2000 to 2012. The Philippines, in particular, has benefitted the most, and the report adds that remittances sent by Filipino migrants in 2012 […]
First Round of RCEP Negotiations Conclude
The first round of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) wrapped up on Sunday after being launched by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and six free trade agreement (FTA) partners last week.
