The first meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC 2022) in 2022 has emphasised digital transformation, as the region experiences sudden and extreme changes in the business environment.
First meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council in 2022 (Photo: thainews.prd.go.th)
Bangkok (NNT/VNA) - The first meeting ofthe APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC 2022) in 2022 has emphasised digital transformation,as the region experiences sudden and extreme changes in the businessenvironment.
The meeting was chaired by Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation ofThai Industries (FTI), and ran from February 15-18 at the Resorts World SentosaConvention Center in Singapore.
During the meeting, the Regional Economic Integration Working Group (REIWG)resolved to promote the works of the World Trade Organization (WTO) under themultilateral trading system. It also recommended the promotion of trade andinvestment in the region, along with the safe opening of borders in thepost-pandemic era.
The Digital Working Group (DWG) meanwhile said it would promote digital infrastructureat the regional level in order to boost trade and improve competitiveness.
The MSME and Inclusiveness Working Group (MSMEWG) also said it favoredpromoting the development of a digital system for MSMEs, along with digitalinfrastructure for supply chain financing.
The Sustainability Working Group (SWG) meanwhile suggested that APEC focus onclimate change and an environmental-friendly economic recovery by promotingalternative energy sources and food security.
Finally, the Finance and Economics Working Group (FEWG) recommended thedevelopment of public-private partnerships for pandemic risk financing. The aimwould be to fund sustainable infrastructure projects in the region.
The working group also suggested that the bloc create a favorable environmentfor digital currency systems./.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (AMMR) that was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in both in-person and online formats from February 16-17, according to Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn.
ASEAN foreign ministers shared the view that solidarity and unanimity remain the key factor in the bloc’s activities while attending their meeting retreat (AMMR), held in Phnom Penh on February 16 - 17.
The seventh ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Dialogue took place online on February 17 to discuss the findings and recommendations in the ASEAN Business Sentiment Study 2020/2021, which gauged ongoing sentiment of the ASEAN indigenous enterprises towards the implementation of the AEC Blueprint 2025.
Vietnam has climbed 14 places to the 62nd in the 2021 Government Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index, according to an annual index report released by the UK’s Oxford Insights in collaboration with Canada’s International Development Research Centre.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The new framework is designed to ensure that incoming investments deliver tangible national benefits, such as the creation of high-quality jobs for Malaysians and the development of local company ecosystems and technologies.
Singapore led with a total of 8.8 billion USD in realised investment, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China, Malaysia, and Japan with 8 billion USD, 1.7 billion USD and 1.6 billion USD, respectively.
Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on August 7 outlined his strategy for tackling drug problems in Thailand, aiming for a "Zero Drugs Thailand" within three months.
The US has described Malaysia's role as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as vital in helping ease tension between Thailand and Cambodia.
First meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council in 2022 (Photo: thainews.prd.go.th) 
