Asia-Pacific

ASEAN braces for expanding partnership with non-Asian countries

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-26 17:42

JAKARTA -- Entering its 43rd years of operation, the Southeast Asian countries joined in ASEAN are bracing for wider cooperation with non Asian-countries through regional architecture agreements, aimed at expanding markets for its trade.

With its tremendous economic growth figure amid the economic downturns experienced by the developed countries, markets in the ten countries joined in ASEAN offers robust fortune for those countries to invest and tap the benefit from the continuously growing region.

"With the regions' average growth rate of 9.5 percent and population of more than 500 million last year, ASEAN is undoubtedly a promising markets for any investors. Its combined Gross Domestic Product GDP now has reached $1.6 trillion with trade value reaches $1.7 trillion per year," ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Surin Pitsuwan said in his briefing prior to the conduction of ASEAN Summit scheduled to commence in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 28.

During the videoconference briefing with Dr. Surin spoke in Hanoi, monitored by people in ten of ASEAN countries and dialogue partner countries, Dr. Surin said that ASEAN will see the inclusion of Russia and the United States in East Asia Summit group (EAS) next year.

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Russia and the United States will sign in their membership in EAS next year in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia that would take the ASEAN leadership throughout 2011, he said.

"They will send delegation as observers in the upcoming Hanoi summit," Surin said.

The EAS group is a regional architecture, was established in 2005. It is now joined by 16 countries consisted of the ten ASEAN countries, China, Japan, South Korea, India, New Zealand and Australia.

They conducted meeting annually, aimed at the seeking breakthroughs to expand the trades, investment and socio culture relations among all countries joined in the pact.

Given the excellent economic performance in ASEAN region, the inclusion of Russia and the United States in EAS proves the essential role of ASEAN as the economy propeller in international community with the impacts of recent global financial crisis still badly affecting developed countries.

Besides the talks to enhance the trade, investment and relations, countries joined in EAS would seek solution to global issues through talks on climate change, biodiversity and efforts to mitigate disasters.

More importantly is the talks aimed at making sure that there will not be conflict among countries joined in the EAS pact so as to make sure that all goals of the grouping can be well- accomplished and prosper all joining countries, Surin said.

ASEAN groups Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei Darussalam. Timor-Leste is also interested in joining the association. It has sent observer delegation to attend the ASEAN summit in the last few years.

Timor-Leste has received supports from many ASEAN state members, including Indonesia, to join the organization.

ASEAN has now established free trade agreement pacts with China, Australia and New Zealand. It also made regional architecture with three of its dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea through ASEAN Plus 3.

ASEAN also plans to improve its international partnership with the United Nations (UN) whose talks between senior officials of ASEAN and the UN has been put on the agenda in the upcoming Hanoi summit.