Asean
Ministers reaffirm commitment to conclude RCEP this year
Once concluded, RCEP would create a market of over 3.5 billion people accounting for about 30% of global trade. Its next negotiating round will be held in Da Nang, Viet Nam on 19-28 September.
BANGKOK, 11 September 2019 – Economic ministers from countries participating in negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) gathered in Bangkok on 8 September determined to conclude the world’s largest trading bloc by the end of the year.
RCEP includes all ASEAN economies, plus Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. After seven years, negotiations have reached a critical milestone as the ministers are resolved to address the outstanding issues and conclude the pact.
“Negotiators should exercise maximum flexibility to close the negotiations,” said Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi.
Given today’s developments, concluding RCEP negotiations this year would provide the much-needed stability and certainty to benefit regional supply chains as well as the global markets for trade and investment. Dato Lim said that failure to do so will undermine the region’s trade and investment potential, putting market integration at risk.
Once concluded, RCEP would create a market of over 3.5 billion people accounting for about 30% of global trade. Its next negotiating round will be held in Da Nang, Viet Nam on 19-28 September.
Vietnam
Vietnam leads ASEAN in women's employment
The share of Vietnamese women in total employment stayed at about 48.5 percent in 2016, however this was little changed from 2009.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is leading ASEAN in terms of the percentage of working women in total employment, according to a report by the ADB and OECD.
(more…)Tourism
Vietnam ranks 63rd in WEF tourism competitiveness index
When it comes to price competitiveness, Vietnam ranks 22nd, rising 13 places while in terms of air transport infrastructure, the country has improved by 11 places, growing to 50th from 61st.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam ranks 63rd among 140 countries and territories in the recently released Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) 2019, jumping four places compared to the latest 2017 ranking.
(more…)Asean
GSP offers exporters safe passage to US
Trade talks between Mainland China and the United States resumed earlier this month but consensus has yet to be reached.
As the US continues to impose additional tariffs on many mainland imports, Hong Kong traders are looking to cushion the impact by actively shifting some of their production or procurement bases to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries that benefit from America’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
(more…)
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