#asean economy

[ranjith11]

The Silent Rise of ASEAN | asean global superpower | Geography facts

In this video, the Geography Guru takes you on an incredible journey into the heart of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 🌍 Dive deep with us as we unveil the silent yet robust ascendancy of ASEAN, a crucial alliance that often goes unnoticed. From its humble beginnings in Bangkok, Thailand, to becoming an economic powerhouse with a strong cultural foundation, ASEAN is truly a force to reckon with. Join us as we explore this remarkable journey.

[row-news]

ASEAN is hoping better numbers of Chinese tourists this year. The tourism re-bound is slow in 2023 but showed upward momentum in the recent weeks.

[carlocarrasco]

Philippines wins big at the 2024 ASEAN Tourism Awards thanks to three cities and many stakeholders

In the 2024 edition of the ASEAN Tourism Awards held recently in Laos, the Philippines won big as three cities and more than twenty stakeholders won honors, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface… Three cities and 21 tourism stakeholders from the Philippines have been…

[reformthesystem]

REFORM THE TAXATION SYSTEM

Hi, this is my blog post on the need to reform the current taxation system that is too one-sided towards the elite class. If you like my articles and want to support my work, please consider subscribing to my blog. Thanks.

[xtruss]

Russia Speeds Up De-Dollarization As It Eyes Settlement In ASEAN Currencies

— Global Times Staff Reporters | July 13, 2023

Crumbling Dollar Hegemony. Illustration: Liu Rui/Global Times

Russia is seeking to settle trade with ASEAN countries in their local currencies in a bid to boost bilateral trade, according to media reports on Thursday, signaling the latest de-dollarization effort by Moscow as it faces sweeping Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

Russia's efforts come as many other emerging market economies, including China, India and ASEAN, are moving to use local currencies to settle trade amid chaos in the global payment system created by US-led Western sanctions.

The de-dollarization trend is conducive for China's foreign trade as well as the yuan's internationalization, analysts said.

While attending the ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested settling trade between Russia and ASEAN with their national currencies, the Nikkei Asia reported on Thursday.

"Practical cooperation interests between Russia and ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, will be answered with the launch of consultations on the use of national currencies in mutual settlements," Lavrov said in an interview with Indonesian newspaper Kompas on Wednesday.

This is all part of Russia's de-dollarization effort, which is actually good for Russia, ASEAN and other countries amid the increased weaponization of the dollar by the US, according to Song Kui, President of the Contemporary China-Russia Regional Economy Research Institute.

Song said both the yuan and ruble have been used mostly in China-Russia trade, especially for energy, which helped boost growth in bilateral trade.

China's trade with Russia surged 50.9 percent year-on-year to about 791.43 billion yuan ($110.49 billion) in the first half year, with China's exports to Russia jumping 91.7 percent and imports from Russia up 28 percent, according to Chinese customs data on Thursday.

Despite the US-led West's sanctions against Russia and baseless accusations against China's normal trade ties with Russia, China and Russia are aiming to lift bilateral trade to $200 billion by the end of 2023.

Bilateral trade activities are picking up - for example, the 7th China-Russia Expo held in Yekaterinburg, Russia from July 11 to 13. More than 300 Chinese enterprises attended the event, which was largest scale so far, Shu Jueting, a spokesperson for the Chinese Commerce Ministry, said on Thursday.

"Chinese and Russian enterprises had comprehensive communications and exchanges on cooperation in areas such as energy, agriculture, forestry, industry, transportation and people-to-people exchanges and culture," Shu told a press conference.

"The US cannot stop normal cooperation among countries, because such cooperation benefits the peoples of the countries," Song said.

The ill-intended US attempt to undermine normal economic and trade cooperation among countries will hurt its own interests, Song noted.

Many countries have switched to the yuan for trade. For example, Indian refiners have begun paying for some oil imports from Russia that way. In Latin America, Argentina began to use the yuan to settle part of its debt with the IMF for the first time on June 30.

[infamoustechnician]

It was a 'nice' dream that civilizations will turn on eachother and fight, possibly the West holding the candle, as usual. Instead there increasingly seems to be tensions between autocracies versus democracies. Which the West is obviously going to loose. The open question is whether such autocracies, that now keep growing economically due to the lack of war, ultimately grow and become more free spirited, suddenly turning into democracies, because then we will have lost some battles but won the war. However there is a good chance that big data and AI enhanced dictatorships are going to arise instead, eliminating dissent at its core by cherry picking and jailing movement leaders even before they themselves knew they were to become leaders. This latter shit is something the West must focus on to avoid.

The techniques?

Probably user friendly privacy related IT infrastructure is going to play a vital role, although that may just be the beginning.

[official-amirul]

KJ: Malaysia "Fastest Growing Economy in Asean" but Political Stability Crucial

[uaectradeshow]

Research institutions believe that Vietnam's economy is mainly concentrated in the middle and downstream parts with low added value. It is a country dominated by low-end manufacturing, and its economic infrastructure is relatively weak, which is vulnerable to the impact of the US financial market.

https://rceptradeexpo.matchupexpo.com/en

https://en.matchupexpo.com/exhibition

[southeastasianists]

Asia’s youngest nation emerges as a voice of conscience on Myanmar

Two decades ago, freedom fighters on a mountainous island in southern Indonesia won a long, bloody struggle against a corrupt military regime, establishing East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, the first independent state of the 21st century. Memories of airstrikes and indiscriminate killings are still fresh here. And they’ve led the country’s leaders to take an unusual interest in another fight for freedom in Southeast Asia.

In 2021, a group of generals overturned an elected government in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, starting a civil war that some conflict monitoring groups consider the most extreme in the world today. Many countries have looked away — much as they did for 24 years, East Timor’s leaders say, as Indonesian soldiers fought Timorese independence fighters.

“For so long, nobody paid attention to us,” Xanana Gusmao, the prime minister of East Timor, said during an interview in the capital, Dili.Gusmao led the insurgency against the Indonesian military, later serving two terms as East Timor’s president and now, his second as prime minister. At 77, with a head of white hair and a stiff back from years of imprisonment, he still remembers every person he saw killed or tortured in the jungles of Timor, he said.

“I do not accept the suffering of the Burmese people,” Gusmao said. “I cannot.”

Many in East Timor, even opposition politicians and civil society leaders critical of Gusmao on other issues,said in interviews that they agree. The country of 1.3 million, with an economy one-seventh the size of Vermont, has gone further than almost any other in supporting the Myanmar resistance, receiving its leaders as state representatives and openly advocating on their behalf at international forums.In the coming months, East Timor will let Myanmar pro-democracy groups open offices in the country to help coordinate resistance activities and take in a number of political refugees, officials say.

Increasingly, human rights activists say they see Dili as a voice of conscience, challenging more powerful countries that have been too distracted or too divided to press for change in Myanmar. “What the Timorese are doing is vital,” said Debbie Stothard, a Malaysian rights advocate.

Regional inaction

The U.N. Security Council has repeatedly called on Myanmar’s military government to comply with a peace plan adopted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Western officials, including from the United States and the European Union, have also cited that plan for resolving the conflict.

But ASEAN, which operates on a principle of “noninterference” and includes Myanmar as a member, has largely failed to convince the junta to cooperate.

In 2021, ASEAN adopted the “Five-Point Consensus” on Myanmar, which calls for a cessation of violence and a dialogue among all parties. The junta signed the plan but has ignored it with little consequence. The military has ramped up airstrikes to a rate of nearly once a day, according to conflict monitoring groups, and faces mounting allegations from human rights groups of carrying out mass killings, beheadings and other atrocities. Myanmar has declined invitations from ASEAN to meet with resistance leaders.

“The five-point consensus has failed,” said Saifuddin Abdullah, who served until last year as foreign minister for Malaysia, an ASEAN member. The plan, which has no enforcement measures, is being disregarded not only by the Myanmar government but by other ASEAN members, Abdullah said.

In April, Thailand’s foreign minister traveled to Myanmar and met with junta leader Gen. Min Aung Hlaing without notifying other ASEAN members. Thailand, which borders Myanmar, has also hosted secret meetings with junta officials and mooted the idea of ASEAN “fully re-engaging” military leaders.

By normalizing relations with the Myanmar opposition, East Timor is trying to pull the region in the opposite direction — but at some risk to itself. The country is in the final stages of negotiating admission into the bloc and was allowed last year to attend meetings as an “observer.” Its outspoken stance on Myanmar could jeopardize its application or otherwise alienate some of its neighbors, analysts say.

East Timor can’t afford to be excluded from ASEAN, Gusmao admitted. With more than 40 percent of its population living in poverty, the country is in dire need of foreign investment. It has 15 years to find an alternative to its dwindling petroleum revenue, according to the International Monetary Fund, and has struggled since independence to feed its people,a problem set only to worsen with climate change.

At the same time, political scientists say, the country’s history has made it particularly sensitive to authoritarianism. East Timor has become probably the most robust democracy in Southeast Asia, according to experts.It’s the only country in the region ranked “free” by the think tank Freedom House and was recently listed 10th in the world for press freedom by Reporters Without Borders.

Smoking as he paced a meeting room in Dili’s government palace, Gusmao said that when he watches extensive coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on television, he often thinks about suffering elsewhere, in Yemen, Somalia, Myanmar. Powerful countries aren’t obliged to care about crises that don’t affect them, Gusmao said.

Among small, fragile nations, he added, “all we have is our solidarity.”

A diplomat expelled

When Gusmao was inaugurated in Dili two months ago, a visitor from Myanmar was seated in the front row alongside cabinet ministers and diplomats from various countries. It was Zin Mar Aung, foreign minister for Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG), formed in opposition to the junta after the coup.

That event marked the first time any country had formally received an NUG official and sparked indignation from Myanmar’s military government, which demanded that Dili cut contact with what it called “terrorist groups.” The following month, when East Timor hosted a second NUG official in Dili, the junta expelled Avelino Pereira, East Timor’s top diplomat in Myanmar.

While some countries have downgraded diplomatic relations with Myanmar, the junta had not thrown out any foreign representatives until Pereira and hasn’t since.When other governments meet with opposition officials, they’ve done so privately or informally. Dili’s actions were “public and senior level barbs” at the junta, said a Western embassy official in Yangon, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because that person had not been given authority to speak on the issue.

“It showed great courage,” said Aung Myo Min, the NUG’s minister for human rights, the second opposition official to visit Dili. “It empowers us to know we’re not alone.”

Some Timorese officials worry Pereira’s expulsion could affect the country’s ASEAN bid. But President Jose Ramos-Horta, who was behind both invitations to the Myanmar opposition figures, said he was unperturbed. “It was an honor,” he said, eyes crinkling behind dark Ray-Ban sunglasses during a recent interview as he was traveling between official engagements in Dili.

Ramos-Horta, who shares the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo for his opposition of Indonesian oppression, led the “diplomatic front” for East Timor’s sovereignty. Over years, Ramos-Horta formed alliances with activists from other countries, including Myanmar.

In recognizing Myanmar’s opposition government, Ramos-Horta, 73, said he was paying back the support that Myanmar pro-democracy groups gave East Timor. But he was also, he said,acting in line with historical precedent: During World War II, the Allied powers recognized Free France, a government in exile, over the Vichy government that collaborated with Nazi Germany.

“Are we supposed to accept the norm that elections can be disregarded?” asked Ramos-Horta. “The answer, at least for us, is no.”

‘Who is listening?’

When Gusmao attended the semiannual ASEAN summit in August, he was feeling contrite, he said.

He’d been chided by his staff a few weeks earlier for saying East Timor would reconsider its ASEAN application if the bloc couldn’t end the violence in Myanmar. Those were “uncontrolled” remarks, he reflected later, and at the summit in Jakarta, he had intended to stick to his prepared speeches.

But faced with leaders from the United States, China and Russia, Gusmao decided again to go off-script. News reports had said Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s deposed civilian leader, was ill, Gusmao told the room. The junta should provide medical care, he appealed. No one responded.

“We will speak out, always. But we are a small country,” Gusmao said as he recounted the incident. “Who is listening?”

Diplomats and aid workersin Dili say Gusmao and Ramos-Horta might have a bigger impact than they know. The two leaders have allies in places from Europe to Africa, and they command respect as that rare breed of statesmen who fought for freedom and won, said Olufunmilayo Abosede Balogun-Alexander, the U.N. resident coordinator for East Timor. On the world stage, she added, “they have an outsize voice.”

Earlier this year, at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Ramos-Horta said he watched as heads of state and chief executives rose one after another to lambaste Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rally Western governments to supply Kyiv with weapons. He was stunned, he remembered, that virtually no one mentioned Myanmar.

“Next year, I will,” said Ramos-Horta, days before departing for the U.N. General Assembly session last month in New York, where he again met with the NUG. “I will say something,” he continued. “So at least people there will hear the word, ‘Myanmar.’”

[ranjith11]

The Silent Rise of ASEAN | asean global superpower | Geography facts

In this video, the Geography Guru takes you on an incredible journey into the heart of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 🌍 Dive deep with us as we unveil the silent yet robust ascendancy of ASEAN, a crucial alliance that often goes unnoticed. From its humble beginnings in Bangkok, Thailand, to becoming an economic powerhouse with a strong cultural foundation, ASEAN is truly a force to reckon with. Join us as we explore this remarkable journey.

[donnaajah]

BREAKING NEWS:

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) touched on the condition of the people in Gaza at the APEC Economic Leaders Retreat at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, United States, Friday (17/11/2023) local time. He firmly said that the right to life of the people of Gaza must be respected.

"Before we start our topic about inclusive development, let's take a moment to think about the people in Gaza. Never mind development, currently their right to life is not respected," stressed Jokowi in a statement, Saturday (18/11/2023).

Jokowi urged APEC leaders to act to stop the war, immediately ceasefire, and ensure that humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza can be delivered without obstacles.

Furthermore, regarding inclusive development, Jokowi said that APEC needs to prioritize the realization of opportunities and inclusive and resilient economic growth.

"The Asia Pacific region has great potential, 62 percent of global GDP and 48 percent of world trade comes from APEC, and in the midst of an uncertain world situation, APEC needs to prioritize the realization of opportunities and inclusive and resilient economic growth that can be achieved together," he said.

To achieve this, he said a number of things, the first of which was the need for a spirit of collaboration. Jokowi believes that togetherness and strategic trust are needed to realize the APEC 2040 vision.

Second, the Head of State said that regional economic resilience needs to be strengthened in order to maintain resilience in the global supply chain. The President continued that the dependence and dominance of global supply chains on a number of economies must be reduced.

"Developing countries must play a role and participate in the global supply chain, including through downstreaming to support developing countries in making development leaps," he continued.

Third, in terms of utilizing digital technology in the region, Jokowi said that APEC must jointly bridge the digital gap through policy synergy and strengthening infrastructure that can be used to encourage inclusive economic growth, one of which is the integration of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) into digital ecosystem.

"The integration of MSMEs into the digital ecosystem is very important to expand the market and strengthen the resilience of MSMEs, as the economic support for most APEC economies," he said.

On this occasion, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta also expressed his appreciation for APEC's support for Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023.

Furthermore, Jokowi emphasized that currently Indonesia is continuing to encourage the use of digital technology. The President said that this use was carried out both for the development of the creative economy and the development of MSMEs with a digitalization target of 30 million MSMEs by 2024.

[carlocarrasco]

Cambodia a potential new source of rice for the Philippines

While living here in the Philippines doing your daily chores and fulfilling other objectives, do you still remember how much money did you spend buying rice grain for your household over the last six months? Do you find the current prices of rice expensive nowadays? As far as rice is concerned, the nation of Cambodia could become the next new source of rice grain for the Philippines, according to…

[corporatesvcsg]

Why Singapore Companies Should Consider Setting Up a Company in Thailand

Are you an entrepreneur or investor looking to expand your business in Southeast Asia? Consider setting up a company in Thailand, a vibrant economy and gateway to the ASEAN region. In this video, we explore why Singapore companies should take advantage of the numerous opportunities in Thailand.

Thailand presents a compelling case for Singapore companies to consider expanding their operations. With its strategic location, favorable business environment, skilled workforce, and promising market opportunities, Thailand offers a conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Creating a prosperous company requires patience, dedication, and a readiness to embrace and adjust to the unique circumstances of the local market. The initial stage of incorporating your company is particularly vital. To ensure long-term success in Thailand, consider enlisting the expertise of a Singapore-based company incorporation firm such as Corporate Services SIngapore. As we have offices both in Singapore and Thailand, we are well-equipped to assist you with your business requirements in both countries.

Access the complete article and dive deep into all the information by following this link.

[obmessed]

Since Timor Leste is now a member of ASEAN, I hope Hima-sensie adds him soon. Like think of the relationship between them and the other members, I can see it already:

They’re tsundere towards Indonesia, insisting that they don’t need him but ends up needing him more than they’d like to admit.

Indonesia being kind of sad that his little sibling doesn’t like him (not knowing that they’re just a tsundere).

He becomes more upset when it’s made clear that Timor Leste prefers Philippines over him, because he was one of the strongest voices to let them in. (Indonesia was to, but they don’t want to show appreciation to him, so they just didn’t acknowledge that fact) 

And also because Piri is a Catholic like Timor Leste along with cheering him on the loudest during SEA games 2017. Now that’s two younger siblings Piri has stolen favor from his fellow MaPhilIndo members, first was Singa now it’s Timor Leste.

Speaking of Singapore, since they’re new and have the weakest economy for now. They follow him around and takes notes on every little thing he does, and I mean everything. 

[sagarg889]

Sirens Market Research by Key players, Type and Application, Future Growth Forecast 2022 to 2032

In 2022, the global sirens market is expected to be worth US$ 170.1 million. The siren market is expected to reach US$ 244.0 million by 2032, growing at a 3.7% CAGR.

The use of sirens is expected to increase, whether for announcements or on emergency vehicles such as ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks. A siren is a loud warning system that alerts people to potentially dangerous situations as they happen.

Rapidly increasing threats and accidents have resulted in more casualties and missed business opportunities in developing economies. Demand for sirens is expected to rise during the forecast period as more people use security solutions.

As a result of rising threats and accidents in developing economies, the number of victims and lost business opportunities has rapidly increased. Adopting security solutions, such as sirens, is an effective way to deal with these challenges. Long-range sirens are used in mining and industrial applications, whereas motorised sirens are used in home security. Hand-operated sirens are used when there is no power or when a backup is required.

Some additional features of sirens include a solar panel upgrade system to keep the batteries charged and a number of digital communication methods, including Ethernet, satellite, IP, fiber optic and others. Sirens have conformal coatings on their electronics, which help protect them against harsh environments. Some of the systems are made in such a way that they can be expanded or scaled depending on future capabilities.

Omni-directional sirens can be used in areas of high noise levels and those with large population densities as they provide a greater area of coverage. Sirens have external controls with triggers, which can be customized according to needs. The lightening types of sirens include bulb revolving, LED flashing and xenon lamp strobe. The loud speakers in sirens are adopted from latest piezoelectric ceramic technology.

Get a Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4274

Other sirens are hydraulic or air driven and mostly find applications in plants and factories. Lithium batteries have replaced alkaline batteries in sirens now, since lithium batteries need not be replaced for several years. Modern sirens use latest technologies and find applications in civil defense, emergency vehicles, security systems and others. Typically, sirens are made of stainless steel, aluminum or UV stabilized polycarbonate to avoid corrosion and are equipped with protection cages. An LED flashing siren has a light source with a semi-permanent lifespan and it is used in places where bulb replacement is a problem.

Region-wise Outlook

In the global sirens market, the dominant share is held by the U.S., India, China, Japan, Australia, Germany, Singapore and the UAE. This can be attributed to the demand for security solutions in developed as well as developing economies.

The regional analysis includes:

North America (U.S., Canada)

Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)

Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain)

Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)

Asia-Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)

Japan

The Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa)

The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.

Market Participants

Some of the key market participants identified in the global siren market are Acoustic Technology Inc., Sentry Siren Inc., MA Safety Signal Co. Ltd, Whelen Engineering Co. Inc., Federal Signal Corporation, B & M Siren Manufacturing Co., Projects Unlimited Inc., Phoenix Contact, Mallory Sonalert Products and Qlight USA Inc.

Rising population and rapid urbanization have led to an increase in demand for security solutions. The need for implementation of security has paved way for the use of electronic equipment on a large scale globally, which in turn has created opportunities for the global sirens market. As these products are durable with a high voltage capacity and easy to install, they find high selling propositions. Characteristics and properties of electronic and pneumatic equipment play a vital role in security solutions, thereby driving the global sirens market with a rise in diverse end-user applications, such as industrial warning systems, community warning systems, campus alert systems and military mass warning systems.

Report Highlights:

Detailed overview of parent market

Changing market dynamics in the industry

In-depth Polishing / Lapping Film market segmentation

Historical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and value

Recent industry trends and developments

Competitive landscape

Strategies of key players and products offered

Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth

A neutral perspective on market performance

Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint.

Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sirens-market

Key Segments

Product Type:

Electronic

Electro-mechanical

Rotating

Single/dual toned

Omnidirectional

By Application:

Civil defense

Industrial signaling

Emergency vehicles

Home/vehicle safety

Security/warning systems

Military use

Others

By Installation Type:

Wall mounting

Self-standing

Water proof connector

By Regions:

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

MEA

[mariacallous]

U.S. engagement with Southeast Asia received a significant boost last month when U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended a cascade of summits in the region and elevated U.S. relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Biden and Harris also held individual meetings with several ASEAN country leaders, highlighting Washington’s attention to bilateral relations amid escalating U.S.-China rivalry in the region.

The Biden administration has been particularly focused on expanding relations with Vietnam, with its booming economy and strategic location on the South China Sea. During high-level visits to Hanoi over the past 18 months, administration officials have stated very publicly that bilateral relations should be upgraded to a “strategic partnership.” The possibility of such an upgrade has been discussed for years in quiet diplomacy, but the idea has never been realized — partly due to Vietnamese concerns that it could be construed in Beijing as hostile to China. A strategic partnership is achievable, however, if both sides address the issue more systematically over a reasonable timeframe.