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.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe is flying to New Delhi next week to meet up with Indian PM Modi, with the aim to convince India to take up the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). After seven years, the negotiations were completed last November in Bangkok.

As the global trade regime threatens to unravel under the Trump administration’s assault on the WTO dispute settlement disciplines and its tearing up the rules in its trade war with China, ASEAN would seem the most unlikely bloc to spring effectively to its defence.

ASEAN countries are betting that the space industry will provide a new engine of growth, as the global economy sputters and government finances become overstretched. Asian Nikkei provides a focus on Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Cambodia's own currency only accounts for 20% of money used in the nation: US dollar is estimated to make up more than 80% of the currency circulating. Asian Nikkei Review explains how Cambodia (the fastest growing economy in ASEAN) is starting to seek economic growth based on national currency.

ASEAN continues its impressive growth: according to the latest ASEAN Intregration Report, ASEAN is now the world's fifth largest economy (iif considered as a single entity). Notwithstanding growing uncertainties in the global economy, ASEAN’s overall economic performance remains robust. Thus, the rise of the bloc signals the success of of the regional integration process in South-East Asia.

The government will seek the approval of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Assembly of the Union) to adopt an international treaty that will compel the country to stop the use of child labour. U Thein Swe, minister of Labour, Immigration and Population, told the assembly about the salient points of the Minimum Age Convention of ILO, which includes the abolition of child labour.

Myanmar-based executives and investors are bracing for a business slowdown in the run-up to next year’s general elections, as uncertainty rises over the Southeast Asian nation’s political and policy directions.

China’s large-scale investment in Cambodia has won strong support from the Hun Sen government. However, the influx of Chinese people and money has affected the lives of local people and caused dissatisfaction. Sections of Cambodian society are upset about Chinese lifestyle and that they do business with Chinese only.

La Cina si sta muovendo per sviluppare legami economici con la regione del Sud-Est asiatico attraverso la Belt and Road Initiative, cercando allo stesso tempo di consolidare il controllo del Mar Cinese Meridionale.

I Paesi dell’ASEAN sono sempre più vicini alla costruzione di un mercato unico dell'aviazione. Durante un incontro dei Ministri del Trasporto tenutosi a Hanoi, sono stati siglati due protocolli per integrare il trasporto aereo nella regione

Il governo autoritario del Primo Ministro cambogiano Hun Sen è sottoposto a crescenti pressioni da parte dell'Unione Europea per rivitalizzare la democrazia nel Paese. I vantaggi commerciali che l’UE ha concesso alla Cambogia infatti sono condizionali al rispetto di alcuni principi fondamentali. Tuttavia questa politica rischia di spingere la Cambogia tra le braccia di Pechino. Un interessante editoriale di Asia Nikkei Review delinea i rischi dell’approccio commerciale europeo.

Il Ministro Teresa Bellanova, in occasione del consiglio dei ministri Ue dell’agricoltura, ha chiesto di ripristinare i dazi sulle importazioni di riso japonica dal Myanmar, introducendo la cosiddetta clausola di salvaguardia. In pochi anni, infatti, le importazioni a dazi zero sono aumentate del 213%, passando da 27.000 a 86.000 tonnellate.

This collaboration has now resulted in the publication of a special report, “The Role of Mobile Telecoms in Transforming Cambodia” that is being made available to registered members of the B2B Cambodia digital platform.