CARI ASEAN


		China, Singapore to build US$16 billion high-tech zone China, Singapore \| 10 May 2012 The Singapore-Sichuan High-Tech Innovation Park was jointly launched by the provincial government and Singapore’s state-owned Temasek Holdings.


		ASEAN Moves Forward In Financial Cooperation Asean, Japan, South Korea, China \| 3 May 2012 Asean and its dialogue partners South Korea, Japan, and China will begin the Credit Guarantee & Investment Facility (CGIF) and increase currency swap agreements


		Japan Pledge Ups China Ante in Mekong Region Japan, China, Vietnam \| 24 Apr 2012 Japan pledged billions of dollars in foreign aid to five Southeast Asian countries where it is increasingly vying against China for influence among governments that hope to secure long term funding.


		New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited ASEAN countries New Zealand, ASEAN, Indonesia, Singapore \| 18 Apr 2012 New Zealand Prime Minister John Key travelled with a business delegation to Singapore and Indonesia during his Asia trip with the objective of expanding trade with ASEAN.


		XAYABURI Dam Building Pact Signed Laos \| 17 Apr 2012 Thai construction company CHKarnchang has signed a US$1.7 billion contract to construct the Xayaburi dam on the Mekong River in Laos despite concerns among governments in the region.


		Vietnam Airlines Plans IPO In 2013 Vietnam \| 16 Apr 2012 Vietnam Airlines is set to make its initial public offering by the end of 2013 under a restructuring plan to reach its target 2012-2020 earnings and profit targets of US$43.5 billion and US$1.08 billion respectively


		Asean May Ease Monetary Policies Asean \| 12 Apr 2012 A report by Moody’s Analytics suggests that given the state of ASEAN economies and their inflationary rates, central banks may loosen policy rates in favour of growth.


		Indonesia Weighs Mine Export Tax to Curb Output Boom Indonesia \| 9 Apr 2012 The Indonesian government is proposing a 25% tax on base metals and coal exports in 2012, to be increased to 50% in 2013.


		Brunei's Banking Policies Mitigate Risks Brunei \| 9 Apr 2012 An Oxford Business Group report indicates that Brunei’s financial sector is shielded from defaults otherwise prevalent elsewhere due to strict lending policies and is ripe for expansion.


		ASEAN and EU join hands ASEAN, EU \| 19 Mar 2012 ASEAN and the EU designated 2012 as the ‘ASEAN-EU Year of Science, Technology and Innovation’.


		India-ASEAN relations intensify ASEAN, Thailand, Malaysia, India \| 19 Mar 2012 The relationship between ASEAN and India deepened through cooperation in various arrangements including the Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), the Malaysia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (MICECA), and FTAs.


		Malaysia to set first minimum wage Malaysia \| 19 Mar 2012 For the first time in history, Malaysia’s cabinet will approve a national minimum wage of between 800 to 900 Malaysian ringgit per month.


		Thailand faces challenges in the labour market Thailand \| 19 Mar 2012 The AEC and reforms in Myanmar are expected to put pressure on Thailand’s labour markets.


		Thailand new campaign to woo foreign investors Thailand, Japan \| 12 Mar 2012 In the aftermath of last year’s flood, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is attempting to rebuild investor confidence in Japan through promotional campaigns from the Thai Board of Investments.


		Singapore to give US$50 million to IAI Singapore, ASEAN \| 12 Mar 2012 Singapore will be contributing US$50 million over the next four years to the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) , which aims to narrow the development gap within ASEAN.


		Vietnam Announces Plans to Prevent a Banking Crisis Vietnam \| 12 Mar 2012 Vietnam’s finance ministry approved plans to buy collateralised bad debt from commercial banks in an effort to prevent a banking collapse by strengthening banks’ balance sheets and reducing bad debt ratios below 3% by 2015.


		ACIA pact to be implemented on 1 March ASEAN \| 5 Mar 2012 ASEAN economic ministers have agreed to implement the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement starting on 1 March 2012, which is expected to bring fresh FDI inflows both from within and outside ASEAN.


		Thailand to Grow 5.5% in 2012 as Industry Recovers Thailand \| 5 Mar 2012 The IMF mission to Thailand on 13-24 February 2012 predicted that Thailand will make a strong rebound in 2012 due to the accommodating monetary policy and stimulus packages by the government which should offset weak global demand.


		Vietnam to Force Banks’ Merger Vietnam \| 5 Mar 2012 The State Bank of Vietnam is considering forced mergers between banks, currently plagued by a credit crunch and mounting bad debts, in order to maintain monetary policy flexibility.


		Thailand Proving Best Bet After China of Global Emerging Market Investors Thailand \| 27 Feb 2012 Thailand, growing an average of 6% over the last 40 years and predicted to grow 7% in 2012, is attracting major influx of foreign capital from investment firms such as Templeton Emerging Markets, Aberdeen Asset Management, and Marc Faber Ltd.


		Singapore: The World’s “Unhealthiest” Country? Singapore \| 27 Feb 2012 Singapore ranked bottom amongst 150 countries in the Eco2 Index produced by the University of British Columbia, highlighting Singaporean consumption and waste outweighing locally available resources.


		Boeing set to lead Southeast Asia charge ASEAN \| 20 Feb 2012 ASEAN, with its economy growing at 5-6%, annual air traffic growing at 6.7%, and the proliferation of new low-cost carriers, is expected to lead the Asia Pacific region in demand for new aircrafts over the next 20 years, says Boeing Southeast Asia president Ralph Boyce.


		4th Delhi Dialogue to Bring ASEAN & India Closer ASEAN, India \| 20 Feb 2012 The Delhi Dialogue IV, held in New Delhi on 13-14 February 2012, themed “A Partnership for Peace, Prosperity and Stability” featured prominent speakers from ASEAN and India discussing cooperation between the two powers, in line with India’s “Look East” policy.


		Cambodia, Vietnam to Develop Alternative Energy Cambodia, Vietnam \| 23 Jan 2012 Vietnam is seeking to expand its electricity generation capacity by building Southeast Asia's first nuclear power plant, in anticipation of a foreseen energy shortage by 2020 while Cambodia continues to expand rural access to electricity through solar power initiatives.


		Taiwan Exports To ASEAN Hit New High In 2011 Taiwan, ASEAN \| 23 Jan 2012 Taiwan's exports to 6 ASEAN countries is worth US$9.38 billion and made up 16.5% of total exports in 2011, meanwhile the share of outbound shipments to major trading partners China, Japan, and the EU fell.


		Death Toll From Typhoon Washi Rises Above 1,000 Philippines \| 26 Dec 2011 More than 1,010 are reported dead as flash floods and mudslides washed away shanty towns in Southern Philippines.


		Myanmar Negotiating Peace With Armed Ethnic Groups Myanmar \| 19 Dec 2011 Myanmar is stepping up efforts to end its civil war with armed ethnic groups by creating a new negotiating team, promising genuine reconciliation, and offering a greater role to minorities in local decision making.


		ASEAN To Build Regional FTAa With Dialogue Partners, EU China, ASEAN \| 12 Dec 2011 ASEAN is gearing towards consolidating regional trade partnerships with the adoption of the ASEAN Framework for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AFRCEP) at the 2011 ASEAN Summit to be followed by possible bilateral and multilateral FTAs with the EU.


		China-ASEAN Investment Fund To Deploy Us$500m In 2012 China, ASEAN \| 5 Dec 2011 China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund, the first Southeast Asia-focused private equity fund approved by China's State Council, has invested US$400 million in the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos and is planning to invest another US$500 million across ASEAN in 2012.


		More Filipino Families Consider Themselves Poor Philippines \| 21 Nov 2011 Face-to-face interviews done by the Social Weather Stations, a public opinion polling body in the Philippines, show that people increasingly perceive themselves as being poor.


		Asia Can Weather The Global Storm Philippines \| 21 Nov 2011 A report by Fitch Ratings titled Emerging Asian Sovereign Pressure Points has emphasised the ability of ASEAN nations to weather a contagion of economic shocks from Europe and the US, based on the flexibility of their fiscal and monetary policy, and trade balances.


		Cambodia Attracts US$476 Million Investments From ASEAN In 9 Months ASEAN \| 14 Nov 2011 Cambodia received an influx of fixed asset investment of US$476 million by ASEAN member countries in the first nine months of 2011 which is a 66% leap in investment figures from ASEAN when compared to the same period last year of US$287 million.


		Former British PM Makes Case For ASEAN Economic Integration ASEAN \| 7 Nov 2011 Tony Blair lent his support to ASEAN's integration programme at the recent launch of the ASEAN Business Club, urging ASEAN economies to learn from Europe's experience but insisting that ASEAN stay open, saying that free trade provides greater benefits to all.


		ASEAN+3 Agree On Emergency Rice Reserve Financing ASEAN, China \| 10 Oct 2011 ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea have committed to financing the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) agreement when it is signed at the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry Meeting on 7 October 2011 in Jakarta.


		Myanmar Reforms, Invites Foreign Investors Myanmar \| 3 Oct 2011 Myanmar is steadily dismantling its rigid trade policies to attract foreign investment in its effort to shape its economy and compete with its ASEAN neighbours.


		CAEXPO Records Total Trade Volume Of US$1.8 Billion Myanmar \| 3 Oct 2011 The 8th China-ASEAN Expo, held in Nanning, China from 18-26 October 2011, themed around environmental protection cooperation, played host to 4,700 ASEAN and Chinese booths and marked the 20th anniversary of the China-ASEAN relationship.


		Indonesia, Pakistan Ink Long-deliberated Trade Pact Indonesia, Pakistan \| 26 Sep 2011 Indonesia and Pakistan has signed a preferential trade agreement, to come into force in January 2012, after seven rounds of discussion since 2005 that will see tariff reductions in both countries' major exports: Indonesian palm oil and Pakistani kino oranges.


		Bank of Thailand Plans to Buy Yuan Despite Riskiness Thailand, China \| 19 Sep 2011 The Bank of Thailand was approved by China to invest RMB 7 billion in China's onshore interbank bond market but will not include these investments in its reserves because the yuan is not fully convertible.


		No Benefits from Lower Tariff: Ministry Indonesia \| 12 Sep 2011 The common effective preferential tariff (CEPT) adopted by ASEAN countries does not provide any real benefit to Indonesian industries, but amplifies the trade balance deficit, according to an Industry Ministry official.


		VIETNAM'S RICE BOWL THREATENED BY RISING SEAS Vietnam \| 29 Aug 2011 Rising sea water caused by global warming is increasing the salt content of the Mekong River and could submerge 40% of the Mekong Delta, leading to mass internal migration and devastation in a region that produces nearly half of Vietnam's rice.


		Joint Media Statement Of The 43rd ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting ASEAN \| 22 Aug 2011 The 43rd ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting from 10 to 11 August in Manado emphasised trade in goods and services as priority areas in achieving the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

ADB: Hot Money To Rock Asian Market
Asia | 15 Aug 2011

The recent report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stressed Asian exposure to volatility from its short-term foreign capital inflows and recommended integration efforts such as promoting cross-border holding of bonds and equities, and a savings pool among…


		New Customs House To Foster Growing Thai-Malaysian Trade Thailand, Malaysia \| 8 Aug 2011 A new customs house has been jointly set up on the Thai-Malaysian border to facilitate cross border trade and ease congestion on current customs facilities....


		Mandiri Seeks Bank-stake Limits Indonesia \| 1 Aug 2011 PT Bank Mandiri, Indonesia's biggest bank by assets, welcomes the limit on commercial bank stakes, and called for a reciprocal policy to level the playing field with regional rivals from markets that cap ownership.


		ASEAN Must Stay United as it Develops its Infrastructure ASEAN, China \| 24 Jul 2011 ASEAN aims to establish an ASEAN Infrastructure Fund (AIF) for ASEAN's infrastructure requirements during the ASEAN Finance Minister's Meeting in September.


		Vietnam Economic Zone Draws Us$12 Billion Investment Vietnam \| 18 Jul 2011 An economic zone in Vietnam has received nearly US$12 billion of investments from 103 businesses including foreigners since its establishment in 2006.


		Credit Suisse Bullish On ASEAN Markets Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam \| 10 Jul 2011 Credit Suisse estimates that Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will have a combined GDP of US$2.14 trillion in 2011, comparable to three of the four BRIC nations.

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