Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Cam Tu is leading a delegation to attend the 22nd ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting Retreat and related events, which take place on March 2-3 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The annual event is a chance for the 10 ASEAN economic ministers to discuss and agree on major orientations and priorities for the group’s economic cooperation and to successfully build the ASEAN Economic Community, which was born on December 31, 2015.

Discussions will focus on transport infrastructure, the ASEAN Single Window mechanism, ASEAN’s rules of origin, the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN Trade Repository (ATR).

Programmes to prepare the ground for the ASEAN economy’s future, including support for small- and medium-sized enterprises, trade promotion and food safety control, will also be on the table.

During the events, the ministers are expected to intensify RCEP negotiations with six negotiators from China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand.

VNA