CUSTOMS cooperation and robust financial infrastructure remain the top challenges for Asean in its bid to deepen economic integration and redistribute economic wellbeing. Asean finance ministers and c…
ECRL deal with China to include palm oil buy
The current re-negotiations on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) may see its construction price pegged at RM50mil to RM60mil per km as well as a commitment by the Chinese government to buy Malaysian pal…
ASEAN Pushes for Cross-Border Settlement in Local Currencies
ASEAN central bankers are setting up direct settlement systems that use local currencies, in a bid to reduce transaction costs and exposures to global volatility. The central banks of Thailand, Indone…
Malaysia, Indonesia head to Brussels to protest palm oil biofuel curbs
Officials of top palm oil producers Malaysia and Indonesia will visit Brussels next week to voice their objection to the European Union’s delegated act that restricts the use of the edible oil in biof…
Singapore aims to lead the way in Industry 4.0 efforts in Asean
In order for the Asean region to unlock its full potential through an Industry 4.0 transformation, collaboration among Asean member states will be key, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry …
Technology and economic transformation: Is Sri Lanka prepared to ride the 4IR wave?
Sri Lanka has a relatively high literacy rate of 92 per cent among its population. However, its computer literacy rate is a meagre 27.5 percent. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Production Report …
ANRPC reports drop in world natural rubber production
According to the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), world production of natural rubber (NR) has experienced a fall of 10.1%, amounting to 1.080 million metric tons in January 2…
Asean Today – Mar 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4K43P3oSKk…
Vietnamese researchers repurpose plastic waste with world’s first PET aerogel
Despite being a fairly new material with a little over 100 years of history, plastic has permeated every part of modern life. But plastic’s very strengths – convenience, cost and durability – have pro…
Unexpected bounce in China’s factory activity, but Asia broadly weak
Factory activity in China showed a slight, surprising recovery last month, in a sign that stimulus injected into Asia’s growth engine may be yielding results, but worries of a global slowdown persiste…