A Vietnamese delegation led by Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has put forward positive viewpoints to issues regarding intra-ASEAN economic cooperation at the 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM-55), which kicked off in Indonesia on Saturday.

The Vietnamese delegation stated their opinions about preparations for the signing of the second Protocol amending the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) agreement, and negotiations to upgrade the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Also, the Vietnamese side made positive comments on preparations to start negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework, so as to demonstrate Vietnam’s strong commitment to regional economic integration and maintain its active role in making efforts to create a driving force for regional and global economic growth, speed up post-pandemic economic recovery, as well as strengthen regional supply chains.

Aside from Vietnam, other participating ministers shared information and updated the implementation of Indonesia’s economic cooperation priorities in its ASEAN Chairmanship 2023, major tasks of the ASEAN Economic Community such as the ASEAN Strategy for Carbon Neutrality.

The ministers at the event also discussed preparations to start negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework, execution and upgrade of the ATIGA, and preparations for consultations between economic ministers of ASEAN nations and their partners.

The ministers recognized the completion of four out of seven economic cooperation priorities of the ASEAN chair in 2023, including the signing of the second Protocol amending the AANZFTA agreement.

In addition, they discussed economic cooperation activities between the bloc and its dialogue partners such as the U.S., China, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Australia; the implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs) between ASEAN and its partner countries, including the upgrade of the ASEAN-China FTA, negotiations on an FTA between ASEAN and Canada, and the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

On the sidelines of the event, the ministers met with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to discuss the ABAC’s recommendations and priorities to promote the adoption of electric vehicles in the region, bolster regional trade and investment integration, beef up collaboration activities on sustainable development, and maintain health measures to cope with epidemics.

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