Three priority orientations in the economic pillar of ASEAN in 2020 were revealed during the first meeting of ASEAN Senior Economic Officials in 2020. In line with the year’s theme of 'Cohesive and Responsive', the three orientations call for bolstering intra-regional economic linkages and connectivity; promoting partnership for peace and sustainable development; and improving the adaptability and operational efficiency of the ASEAN apparatus.

Southeast Asia has been one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world over the past decade. A key driver of ASEAN’s strong growth over the past decade has been the rapid growth in bilateral trade with China. China has been ASEAN’s largest trading partner in the past 10 years, with bilateral trade reaching US$292 billion in the first half of 2019.

China has a lot to offer the ambitious Asean Smart City Network project and has pledged to share its experience and technology. However, the rise of anti-China sentiment in Asean over South China Sea tensions and unpopular Mekong dam projects may hinder cooperation.

The ASEAN +3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) had given Myanmar’s economy a positive outlook for the fiscal year of 2019 to 2020; expecting it to expand by 7.1 percent up from 6.8 percent in the previous fiscal year. However, economists have noted that the downside is the ongoing Rakhine crisis as well as the lawsuit filed against Myanmar in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Gambia, which could tarnish the country’s image as an investment destination. One of the five key growth sectors this could clearly impact is the tourism industry.

Enterprise Singapore, a government agency under the Singaporean Ministry of Trade and Industry, provides insights and advices to foreign SMEs.

For a good part of the post-Cold War period, ASEAN enjoyed relative success as the central multilateral organisation in its region. Its expansion through the late 1990s, as well as its inclusive approach towards non-ASEAN powers, helped it become the main convener of multilateral dialogue and cooperative platforms in the wider Asia Pacific.

South-east Asia, a diverse and dynamic region with a young and energetic population, is gearing up for its third economic transformation since the second world war. After racing to become self-sufficient, the area is now on the cusp of another change powered by technology.

The government is planning to work with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to promote the development of the aviation industry, according to informed sources.

The Asian economy in the new year will be marked by 5G networks in Southeast Asia lifting the earnings of top telecommunications suppliers, according to outlooks by regional market analysts.

On the surface, digital banking may not seem like much of a growth market for startup companies. Big traditional banks rolled out online services years ago. Today their mobile apps reside on untold millions of customers’ screens, probably including yours.

Australia and the U.S. are both providing infrastructure investments in ASEAN, sometimes in direct competition with each other.

Terrorism in Southeast Asia has long been a threat. Previously, the spectre of terrorism haunted the region via threats of physical violence, from bombings to kidnappings. However, in the current internet age, terrorism has found new ways to attack its targets. Cyberterrorism in the region has been a growing concern and experts have called out ASEAN’s slow response to it.

With the telecom industry growing at 6-12 percent annually, faster than the GDP growth rates of many Asian developing economies, the industry is a “prime contributor” to economic development in the five countries, said Hans Martin Hoegh Henrichsen, Telenor Myanmar’s chief corporate affairs officer.

Thailand looks poised to improve free trade agreements under the Asean framework next year, aiming to extend tariff cuts to cover more products, particularly sensitive items.

As a major regional investor and security partner, Tokyo is stepping up

A series of initiatives organized by prominent members of Italy’s elite has developed new links with ASEAN states. The first and best example in this regard is the “Italy-ASEAN Association,” established in 2015 thanks to the initiative of prominent members of the Italian political, academic, diplomatic, and business communities.

ASEAN should have begun to crack and fall apart from the strain of the rising geopolitical rivalries in Asia between the United States and China, if what critics say about its fragility were true. But ASEAN steadily marched through another difficult and challenging year and quietly delivered many positive results that will improve the wellbeing of its 650 million people.

E’ vero che non è stato un grande anno per il libero scambio, ma i colloqui al vertice ASEAN di Bangkok potrebbero portare a un accordo per creare il più grande blocco commerciale del mondo. I leader di 16 paesi dell’area Asia-Pacifico si riuniranno per gli sciogliere gli ultimi nodi sul Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Negli ultimi 20 anni, a chi si fosse messo, su un molo nel golfo di Persico, a guardare se le petroliere viravano ad est o a ovest, sarebbe stato chiaro che già nel 2000 eravamo all’alba del secolo asiatico.

As ASEAN has played in South East Asia a role similar to the one played by the European Union in our continent, Western commentators tend to analyze the first using categories applied when commenting on the second. However, this approach should be avoided, as it is misleading and does not allow for understanding the goals and peculiarities of the ASEAN.