Kuala Lumpur (VNA) 🅘– Malaysia hopes the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) can be finalised during its chairmanship in 2025.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz on July 16 said the agreement is still under negotiations but he also affirmed that DEFA aims to create a more competitive, inclusive, and profitable region while accelerating ASEAN’s transformation into a leading digital economy.
He said that based on the current trajectory, the ASEAN digital economy is expected to reach 1 trillion USD by 2030. However, with DEFA, this can easily be doubled to 2 trillion USD. He also called on youth to leverage DEFA to foster greater digital cooperation.
Tengku Zafrul noted that the move will pave the way for regional digital integration and inclusive growth and development.
To support Malaysia’s chairmanship next year, the minister said his ministry is spearheading efforts related to the ASEAN Economic Pillar, guided by overarching objectives of the ASEAN Economic Community Council.
He said Malaysia views the chairmanship as an opportunity to align ASEAN’s direction with the national economic policies, facilitating their regional adoption, and added that Malaysia is currently crafting its Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) for its ASEAN chairmanship.
The ministry is also involved in formulating the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 to map out the bloc’s development trajectory over the next two decades.
Tengku Zafrul added that by 2030, ASEAN’s gross domestic product is forecast to reach 4.5 trillion USD, making it the world’s fourth-largest economy./.
Vietnam was the fastest growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2022 and 2023 and it is expected to maintain this position until 2025, with the number of smartphones users anticipated to reach 67.3 million by 2026, accounting for 96.9% Internet users.
Negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) have been kicked off within the ASEAN Economic Community Council (AECC)’s 23rd meeting in Jakarta, demonstrating the strong cooperation among ASEAN member countries in promoting digital economic transformation in the region.
The ASEAN digital economy market reached 194 billion USD in 2022 and Indonesia contributed up to 40%, said Rizal Edwin, expert staff for Digital Transformation, Creativity, and Human Resources at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of Indonesia.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
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.
