Asean Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
EU-ASEAN Trade Deal: Debunking the Myths Around Rules of Origin
The recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union to classify the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) as a “mixed” agreement—one that also needs approval from EU member states—ended the uncertainties surrounding the ratification procedure for trade deals in the EU.
— BRINK ASIA
Unabated population becomes a major concern
Unabated population growth will result in a total of 105 million Filipinos by the end of 2017, with teenage pregnancies, mostly from poor families, emerging as a major concern.
— Gulf Today
Philippines to host Asean environment ministers meeting
The Philippines will play host to an important meeting of senior environment officials representing the 10-member Association of Asean this month, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
— Business Mirror
ASEAN moves forward with connectivity master plan
A forum on the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 Initiative and Project Concepts and the 8th ASEAN Connectivity Symposium took place in Alabang, the Philippines, from July 12-14, according to Vietnam’s delegation to ASEAN.
— VietNamNet Bridge
CIMB IB tops Bloomberg’s ringgit bonds league table for 12th straight year
CIMB Investment Bank Bhd (CIMB IB) has topped Bloomberg’s underwriter league table for Malaysian ringgit bonds for the 12th year running.
— The Edge Markets
Referencing of educational qualifications starts in 2018
COMMISSION on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Patricia Licuanan announced on July 12 the referencing of Philippine educational qualifications with those of other Asean member-states (AMS) will start in 2018.
— Business Mirror
ADB eyes synergies in agro sector
THE ASIAN Development Bank is close to finalising its five-year action plan for 2018-22 that promotes agricultural-based value chains across the Greater Mekong Subregion.
— The Nation
ASEAN seeks unified digital marketplace in the region
Regional business leaders and trade officials pushed for a collaboration between ASEAN governments and the private sector to give micro, small and medium enterprises greater access to the marketplace.
— ABS-CBN (video)
News Feature: DepEd chief cites need for Qualifications Framework in PH
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones recently underscored the need to institutionalize a Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to better empower future workers and make them more competitive if they go to other countries.
— Philippine News Agency
China calls for deeper cooperation with ASEAN
China called for a win-win and deeper cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in connectivity, production capacity, promoting trade and investment, so as to achieve mutual development as the regional bloc marks its 50th anniversary this year.
— Manila Bulletin
Cambodia Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Business Insider: The Big Cheese in Cambodia’s MICE sector
As the Cambodian tourism market has evolved from attracting intrepid backpackers to large leisure-oriented group tours, ASIA DMC is carving out a niche in the high-end market.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Number of building projects up in 1H
The number of construction projects approved in Cambodia during the first half of the year increased 28 percent compared with the same period last year, amounting to a total value of around $4.9 billion, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Hun Sen Hits Back at Rumors of Illness With Selfies, City Drives
Prime Minister Hun Sen continued to fight off Facebook rumors that he was unwell and seeking treatment abroad over the weekend, making his case using video selfies and photographs of a casual Sunday drive.
— The Cambodia Daily (paywall)
See here for more of today’s Cambodia Morning News
Indonesia Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
Indonesia CB Expects 5.1% Growth in Q2
Bank Indonesia has expressed its confidence that the country’s economy grew by 5.1% year-on-year in the second quarter of this year as retail sales began to recover.
— Financial Tribune
Indonesia renames part of South China Sea
Indonesia will now refer to the northern areas of its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea as the “North Natuna Sea” in an act of defiance against Beijing’s territorial ambitions in the region, the media reported.
— The Hindu
Government to revise gas price policy for power generation
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry plans to revise a ministerial regulation on the use of natural gas by power plants in a bid to provide more affordable gas in the power generation sector.
— The Jakarta Post
See here for more of today’s Indonesia Morning News
Lao PDR Morning News
Compiled by Cara Navarro @cara_nav
Vietnam Dominates Investment in Attapeu
Vietnam shared 58 percent of total domestic and foreign investment in the southern province of Attapeu between 2001-2016, according to the Director of the Department of Planning and Investment Soulichanh Phonekeo.
– Lao News Agency
Xayaboury: More than 2,100 Industry and Handicraft Factories
Over 2,100 industry and handicraft factories are reportedly undertaking their business operations in Xayaboury Province to export and serve domestic consumption, proving its business growth both in quantity and quality so far.
– Lao News Agency
KEB Hana teams up with top Laos bank
KEB Hana Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the top Laos bank by assets for their strategic partnership, the Korean bank said Sunday.
– Korea Times
See here for more of today’s Lao Morning News
Malaysia Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Malaysia, Indonesia May Take EU Plan to Curb Palm Oil Imports to WTO
Malaysia and Indonesia plan to raise the prospect of European Union curbs on the imports of palm oil with the World Trade Organisation, both countries said in a joint statement on Sunday.
— The New York Times
Malaysia’s commodity-based exports value rises
The value of Malaysia’s commodity-based exports rose 27.1% to RM59.1bil for the January to May 2017 period, surpassing the RM46.5bil achieved for the same period last year.
— The Star Online
Gartner: Malaysia IT spend forecast to grow 3x global average in 2017
IN Malaysia, spending on technology products and services is forecast to reach US$14.4 billion (RM61.9 billion) this year, up 7.1 % from 2016 (see Table 1.). Comparatively, worldwide IT spending is projected to total US$3.5 trillion in 2017, a 2.4 % increase from 2016, according to Gartner, Inc.
— Digital News Asia
See here for more of today’s Malaysia Morning News
Myanmar Morning News
Compiled by Cara Navarro @cara_nav
UMFCCI to submit suggestion to improve Myanmar’s economy in coming 12 months
IN an attempt to improve Myanmar’s economy in 12 months, Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and its associate members will submit suggestions to the State in the first week of August, said U Ye Min Aung, the vice president of UMFCCI.
– Global New Light of Myanmar
Myanmar exports 700,000 tonnes of rice in April-June
Myanmar exported a total of 700,000 tonnes of rice during April-June, the country’s official media reported on July 14.
– VietnamPlus
Jade exports earn $23m in Q1, show ministry figures
Myanmar earned US$23 million (about K31.5 billion) from jade exports in the first quarter of the fiscal year, up $746,000 over the same period last year, show Ministry of Commerce figures reported by state-run media on July 14
– Frontier Myanmar
See here for more of today’s Myanmar Morning News
Philippines Morning News
Compiled by Stella-maris Ewudolu @stmarisewudolu
ADB: 7 PH cities most vulnerable to flooding
Typhoons and flooding as a result of climate change will damage more houses in the Philippines by 2085 as seven cities are seen vulnerable to the rise in sea levels, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Friday.
— Philippine Daily Inquirer
PH eyes bilateral FTA with US
After going through the failed proposal for sectoral free trade agreement (FTA) with the US and other forms of useless exercise to further open up access for Philippine goods in the world’s largest market, the Philippines is now eyeing the possibility of forging a comprehensive bilateral FTA with the US.
— Manila Bulletin
CA junks Marcos victims’ claim for $2-B damages
Over 10,000 human rights victims during the regime of president Ferdinand Marcos have lost a bid to collect nearly $2 billion in damages from the dictator’s family.
— The Philippine Star
See here for more of today’s Philippines Morning News
Singapore Morning News
Compiled by Leakhena Khat @leakhenakhat
Singapore exports rebound in June after 2 months of decline
Non-oil exports in Singapore rose 8.2 per cent last month from a year ago after two straight months of decline, trade agency International Enterprise (IE) Singapore said on Monday (Jul 17).
— Channel NewsAsia
Keppel Division Wins S$20 Mln In Waste-Management Contracts In China
Keppel Seghers Belgium N.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Infrastructure Holdings, a division of Keppel Corp., has won contracts with the Beijing Fangshan District Circular Economy Industrial Park Waste-to-Energy plant and the Hunan Yueyang Municipal WTE plant for a combined S$20 million.
— Nikkei Asian Review
Debt collecting a brisk business in tough times
NOTWITHSTANDING Singapore’s slow economic growth in recent years, which has hit many industries, the debt collection sector stands out as one that is enjoying brisk business with debt collecting companies that The Business Times contacted reporting a significant increase in the number of clients who have engaged their services over the last three years.
— The Business Times
See here for more of today’s Singapore Morning News
Thailand Morning News
Compiled by John Le Fevre @photo_journ
Thailand welcomes 17 million foreign visitors in first half of 2017
Seventeen million foreign tourists visited Thailand in the first half of 2017, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
— NBT World
Banks warn economy could feel labour law, policy rate sting
Investment banks are maintaining a stable forecast on Thailand’s economic growth outlook but warn turbulence looms ahead, with the Bank of Thailand’s fiscal policy rate and last month’s labour law shake-up the key factors to watch.
— Bangkok Post
Govt brushes off call to test the quality of rice stocks
THE NATIONAL Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has brushed aside requests for a special order to open up warehouses to verify rice quality to see if it is still good for human consumption.
— The Nation
See here for more of today’s Thailand Morning News
Vietnam Morning News
Compiled by Cara Navarro @cara_nav
Term bank deposits for foreigners
The State Bank of Việt Nam (SBV) is collecting feedback on a draft circular that will, among other things, allow non-residents legally present in Việt Nam to make term deposits in both Vietnamese đồng and foreign currencies.
– Viet Nam News
Appropriate policies will aid growth: experts
Financial and monetary policies will play significant roles in supporting economic growth in the rest of this year and the central bank should have policies to direct capital flow into production and business, heard a conference held by the Ministry of Planning and Investment on Friday.
– Viet Nam News Bizhub
Investors pouring money into transport infrastructure
By developing transport infrastructure projects under the mode of BT (build, transfer), investors are willing to pour capital into projects if there are reasonable policies.
– VietnamNet Bridge
See here for more of today’s Vietnam Morning News
Asean Morning News is the most comprehensive selection of reports on what you need to know from around the Asean Economic Community (AEC) published. All articles are hand curated by the team at AEC News Today. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.