DANANG—Southeast Asian economies will grow along with China despite challenges faced by some countries in adjusting to a new ASEAN-China free trade deal, the head of the regional bloc said Wednesday.
“Some ASEAN countries have more problems than others in adjusting to the free trade agreement,” Surin Pitsuwan, secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), told a news conference at the close of an annual meeting of the bloc’s trade and commerce ministers.
But he said all 10 members of ASEAN are committed to the agreement and their attitude is: “When China grows, ASEAN grows with it.”
The ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, which took effect earlier this year, is the world’s biggest by population, with a market of 1.7 billion consumers.
Some Indonesian industry groups complained that they would not be able to compete with cheap Chinese imports and called for a delay in the elimination of protective tariffs.
Malaysian businesses made a similar call but government officials have said there will be no backtracking on the free trade deal.
Surin said the agreement allows for “flexibility” and discussions are continuing on how to help various sectors to adjust.
China and six founding ASEAN states – Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – eliminated barriers to investment
and trade on 90 percent of products on January 1.
Less developed ASEAN members, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, have until 2015 to follow. –Agence France-Presse
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
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Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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