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From 18-20 November 2012, leaders of the ten ASEAN countries and eight of their dialogue partners arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 7th East Asia Summit (EAS). This CARI Captures Special Report encapsulates the agreements and contentious issues that were discussed at these meetings between ASEAN leaders and their partners over the course of the Summit. It also synthesises the substance of state visits by US President Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to the ASEAN countries.
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Highlights of the 21st ASEAN Summit
• BruneiDarussalamreceivedtheASEANchairmanshipfor2013afterahandoverceremony.Itsthemefor2013willbe“OurPeople,OurFutureTogether”
• ASEANHeadsofStateandGovernmentappointedHEMr.LeLuongMinh,candidatefromtheSocialistRepublicofVietnam,astheupcomingSecretary-GeneralofASEANbasedonalphabeticalrotationforfiveyearterm,January2013–December2018
• TheCouncilofPermanentRepresentativesrecommendedthatASEANSecretariatoperationbudgetshouldincreasetoUS$16.24millionfor2013,a3%increasefromlastyear
THE 21ST ASEAN SUMMIT
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
ASEAN leaders at the 21st ASEAN-Summitand related summits
Thedayfollowingthe21stSummit,CambodiadeclaredASEAN’sagreementnotto“internationalise”theissue,aBeijing-sponsoredproposal.ThiswasmetwithoppositionbyseveralASEANnations,inparticularthePhilippinesandVietnam.PhilippinePresidentBenignoAquinosaid,“therewereseveralviewsexpressedyesterdayonASEANunitywhichwedidnotrealisewouldbetranslatedintoanASEANconsensus,fortherecord,thiswasnotourunderstanding.TheASEANrouteisnottheonlyrouteforus.Asasovereignstate,itisourrighttodefendournationalinterests.”
AustralianPrimeMinisterJuliaGillardsaid,“Webelieveitisineverybody’sinterestthatissuesintheSouthChinaSeaaremanagedinapeacefulwayinaccordancewithinternationallaw;that’sAustralia’sperspective,”shesaid.“WedobelievethatacodeofconductwouldassistwithmakingsurethatanyissuesintheSouthChinaSea,anyconductthere,couldbemanagedinaccordancewiththecode,thatis,thattherulesandmannerofresponseswouldbepredictableandknowable.”
AfterthefailuretoreleaseajointstatementduringtheASEANforeignministersmeetinginJuly,thiswasaresultwhichonceagainshowedthefailureofASEANgovernmentstoagreeoverhowtodealwithitsterritorialdisputeswithChinaovertheSouthChinaSea.China’soppositiontotheinternationalisationoftheissue,asexpressedinCambodia’sinitiatives,wasevident,aswasUSsupportforthepositionofthePhilippinesandVietnam.TheUSinvolveditselfinthisissueatanASEANmeetinginJuly2010whenHilaryClintoncalledforitsinternationalisation.
InDecember2012,thefourASEANclaimantstates,Vietnam,Philippines,Malaysia,andBruneiwillmeettodiscussthewayforward.
Development on the South China Sea Dispute
WHY IT MATTERS:
ASEAN AT THE EAST ASIA SUMMIT
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ASEANanditssixdialoguepartners(Australia,China,India,SouthKorea,JapanandNewZealand)officiallylaunchednegotiationstoformamegafreetradeagreementcalledtheRegionalComprehensiveEconomicPartnership(RCEP).
Theterm“dialoguepartner”referstoamechanismwhichdefinesASEAN’sstrategyintheregionalarchitecture,linkingASEANwiththefastestgrowingregionsintheworld,andenablingcooperationinfinance,foodsecurity,educationandconnectivity.ASEAN’slessdevelopedcountriessuchasCambodia,Laos,MyanmarandVietnamhavebenefittedfromthisarrangement.
TheRCEPistheonlyASEAN-centricregionalFTAinnegotiation.Accordingtointernationaleconomists,morefreetradedealsareapositivedevelopmenttowardstheWTOgoalofglobalfreetrade.However,therearenuancedpoliticsfromotherinitiatives.Forexample,theUS-ledTPPexcludesChinawhileChinapreferstheEastAsiaFTAtobewithintheconfinesofASEAN+3.
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
The Official launch of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership
TheRCEPtradeareawillincludeASEANanditssixdialoguepartners,butalsohasanopenaccessionclausethatallowsanyASEANFTApartneroreconomicpartnertojoin.ThePartnershipagreementwasinitiallyproposedbyASEANattheASEANSummitin2011,whenitsleadersadoptedaframeworkwhichoutlinestheprinciplesforextendingcooperationandengagementwithASEAN’sdialoguepartners.Thiseconomicandtechnicalcooperationwillallowallpartiestomaximizetheopportunitiesmadeavailablebydeeperandbroadereconomicengagementsregardlessoftheirlevelofdevelopment.
Commencement of RCEP Negotiations
WHY IT MATTERS:
Adoption of the Human Rights Declaration TheSummitofficiallylaunchedtheASEANInstituteforPeaceandReconciliationandadoptedtheASEANHumanRightsDeclaration(AHRD).Thedocumentwasproducedin2011contained“seriousflaws”accordingtocritics,andhassincebeenrevisedattheinstructionoftheASEANMinistersMeetinginJuly2012.
TheAHRDoutlinestheprinciplesandobjectivesforthepromotionandprotectionofhumanrightsinASEAN.IndonesianForeignMinisterMartyNatalegawawanotedthatsincetheAHRDisadocumentthatmusthaveconsensussupportofallthetenASEANMemberStates,it“willneverpleaseallparties.”
Establishment of the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre in CambodiaThesummitapprovedtheestablishmentoftheASEANRegionalMineActionCentreinCambodia.Cambodia,whichhasasizeablepoolofdeminingexperts,hasbeentheprimemoverofthisideaandwantstohosttheCentre.PrimeMinisterHunSensaidthemoveistimelyandessential,asalmostallASEANcountrieshavetodealwiththemenaceoflandmines.
References: ISEAS,ASEANSecretariatNews,ASEANPlusThreeCommemorativeSummit,ASEANSecretariatNews,ASEANandPartnersLaunchFTA
TRANS-PACIFICPARTNERSHIP(TPP)
12 COUNTRIES:US, Australia, Vietnam,Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei,Malaysia, Mexico,Canada, ThailandUnder negotiation
EAST ASIAFREE TRADEAREA (EAFTA)
13 COUNTRIES:ASEAN+3
(Korea, Japan, China)
Under negotiation
COMPREHENSIVEECONOMICPARTNERSHIP IN EASTASIA (CEPEA)
16 COUNTRIES:ASEAN+6
(Korea, Japan, China,
India, New Zealand)
Under negotiation
16 COUNTRIES:ASEAN+6
(Korea, Japan, China,
India, New Zealand)
Under negotiation
10 COUNTRIES:ASEAN countries
Will come intoforce 31 Dec 2015
REGIONALCOMPREHENSIVEECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP (RCEP)
ASEANECONOMICCOMMUNITY
Source: Asian Development Bank Institute
S IGNATORIESAND
INTERESTED/NEGOT IAT ING
PART IES
A G R E E M E N T
Neogiations began between New Zealand, Brunei, Chile & Singapore in 2005. Six more countries joined in 2008. Next round of negotiations will be held in New Zealand in late 2012
Launched in 2001 by ASEAN+3 leaders. China demonstrated stronger initiative & favoured limiting membership to ASEAN+3 countries
Proposed by Japan after the creation of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) in 2006. CEPEA and EAFTA are being pursued concurrently.
A 2011 ASEAN driven trade pact that builds on existing FTAs between ASEAN & dialogue partners. It has a clause that allows new partners.
In 2003, ASEAN leaders agreed to develop an Economic Community by 2015, by creating a single market & production base, a competitive region, an equitable economic development, and a region integrated into the global economy
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OnthesidelinesoftheEAS,ASEANandChinaheldits15thSummiton19November2012.Theleadersissuedajointstatementforthe10thAnniversaryoftheDeclarationofCodeofConduct(DoC)ontheSouthChinaSea.TheoriginalDoCwassignedin2002andisanon-bindingpact.
ThreeprotocolsweresignedbytheeconomicministersthatwouldamendframeworksthatensurefurtherimplementationoftheASEAN-ChinaFreeTradeArea(ACFTA).AnACFTAJointCommitteeformedandwouldoverseeandsuperviseACFTAimplementationand
PhotographtakenfromtheflickrstreamofASEAN2012Cambodia.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
Chinese and ASEAN leaders at the 15th ASEAN-China Summit
relatedagreements.Otheractionsweretakentoprovidetradefacilitationfortheapplicationofgoodsthatweresubjecttotechnicalbarrierstotradeandsanitaryandphytosanitarymeasures.
References: ASEANSecretariatNews
Official release:ASEAN-Chinajointstatementon10thAnniversaryofDOCinSouthChinaSea
15th ASEAN-China Summit
ASEAN AT THE EAST ASIA SUMMIT
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Thailand
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21November2012
ThePremierofChina,WenJiabao,travelledtoBangkokfollowingtheconclusionoftheEAS.HereceivedanaudiencewiththeKingandheldbilateraldiscussionswithPrimeMinisterYingluckShinawatra.
PremierWenalsoconveyedBeijing’sinterestinbiddingwithothermultinationalstohelpconstructThailand’shigh-speedrailprojects,namelytheBangkok-NongKhairailway.TherailwayisexpectedtobecometransnationalafteritislinkedupwithaLaotian-builtline.TheUS$7billionLaotianhigh-speedrailwillbeginconstructioninJanuaryandwouldalsoconnectVientianetotheChineseborderby2018.
Fourmemorandumsofunderstandingweresignedonricetrade,Chineseeducation,ICTcooperation,andcriminalextradition.China’sriceimportingneedsaremounting,whileThailand’sgovernmentricepledgingschemehasitstockpilingover12milliontonnes,asurplusamountofrice.Thericedealcouldaddresstheagricultureissuesinbothcountries.
ThePremier’svisittoThailandreceivedconsiderablylesscoveragethanthatoftheUSPresident,butcomeswithmoreinitiativesforChinaandThailand.
ThailandiscurrentlythecountrycoordinatorofASEAN-Chinarelations,fromJuly2012toJuly2015.TheCabinet,duringitsmeetingon12November2012,approvedThailand’scontributiontofinancialsupportfortheoperationoftheASEAN-ChinaCentre.
Mr Wen has given us the honour of making Thailand the last country he will visit in his premiership
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
TheChinesepremieralsohadanaudiencewithHMKingBhumibolAdulyadejandwasgrantedthesamerespectandhonoursasPresidentObama.Drivenbythemomentumoftradeandinvestment,ThailandisleaningincreasinglytowardsChinaatthesametimethatAmericaissignallingitsrenewedcommitmenttoSoutheastAsiaandstrengtheningtheUS-Thaimilitaryalliance.ThailandfacesabalancingactasakeySoutheastAsianstateintherenewedsuperpowerrivalryoverSoutheastAsia.Thaiforeignpolicyhas,ofcourse,shownitsmasteryofsuchbalancingoverthecourseofthelasttwocenturies.
References: Reuters,ChinaDaily
WHY IT MATTERS:
“
“
Bangkok Post
President Barack Obama meets with HM the King Bhumibol Adulyadej
PresidentObamaandPrimeMinisterYingluckheldprivatediscussionsbeforeissuingajointpressstatementandtakingquestions.ThestatementreflectedonthehistoricalandenduringtiesbetweentheUnitedStatesandThailand.The President acknowledged Thailand’s important role in the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and welcomed Thailand’s interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
ThailandisstillassessingthevalueofjoiningtheTPP,atradepactthatincludestheUS,Australia,NewZealand,Chile,Peru,Vietnam,Singapore,MalaysiaandBrunei,CanadaandMexico.
Why it Matters: ThevisittoThailandwasnotmerelyastopover.StrengtheningThai-USrelationshiphassignificantvaluetotheUS.Therehasbeena“driftinthealliance”andthePresident’svisitservestofixthisproblemasThailand’srelationshipwithChinagrows.TheUSisalsotryingtoenlistThailandasthenextpartnerintheTPP,whichisstillbeingconsideredbytheYingluckadministration.
ThePresident’svisitalsohasdomesticimplications.TelevisedfootageofthePresidentandtheKingrepresentedpowersymbolismanda“publicrelationstriumphofroyalpersistence”writesAndrewWalker,DeputyDeanoftheAustralianNationalUniversityCollegeofAsiaandthePacific.“Obama’smeetingwiththePrimeMinisterdrawsattentiontothestabilityofYingluck’sgovernmentandaddstoherdomesticandinternationallegitimacy.ItalsohighlightsthechallengefacingThailand’smonarchyasitstrugglestocometogripswiththeelectoralpopularityoftheShinawatras.”
Official releases:2012JointVisionsStatementfortheUS-ThaiallianceJointPressStatementbetweenPresidentBarackObama andPrimeMinisterYingluckShinawatraPresidentObama&PrimeMinisterShinawatraJointPressConference[Video]
References: AustralianNationalUniversity,HeritageFoundation,Defense.gov
DISCUSSION WITH PRIME MINISTER YINGLUCK
Prime Minister Yingluck and President Obama reviewing honor guard in Bangkok.
FromtheofficialflickrstreamoftheWhiteHouse.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra.Usedunderthecreativecommonslicense
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
THAILAND18 NOVEMBER 2012
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PresidentBarackObamavisitedThailandonthefirsttripabroadofhissecondterm.ThedecisiontomakeanASEANtriphasbeeninthecalculusoftheStateDepartmentandWhiteHousebeforetheelections.ThailandwaschosenasthefirstdestinationforitsstatusasaUStreatyally.DirectorofAsianStudiesattheWashington-basedHeritageFoundation,WalterLohman,writesthatthevisittoThailandismoststrategicallyimportantrelationshipfortheUnitedStatesinAsia.ThetieswithMyanmararestillcomplicated,whileseniorofficialsintheWhiteHousesaidthatthePresidentwouldnothavevisitedCambodiawereitnothostingtheEastAsiaSummit.
WashingtonhasstronginterestinsustainingrelationswithThailandandforgingclosertiesbeforeBangkokalignsclosertoBeijing.Tothisend,aheadofthePresident’strip,DefenceSecretaryLeonPanettawasinThailandandsignedthe2012JointVisionStatementfortheThai-USDefenceAlliancewithThaiDefenceMinisterSukampolSuwannathat
AfterPresidentObamaarrivedinThailand,hetraveledtoSirajHospitalwherehehadanaudiencewithHMKingBhumibolAdulyadej.
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
MYANMAR19 NOVEMBER 2012
Thefollowingday,PresidentBarackObamaarrivedinMyanmaronthemorningof19Novemberforasixhourvisit.HisscheduleincludedmeetingswithMyanmarPresidentTheinSein,MemberofParliamentandoppositionleaderAungSanSuuKyi,avisittotheUSEmbassyinMyanmar,andaspeechattheUniversityofYangon.
AfterameetingbetweenthetwopresidentsintheParliamentBuildinginYangon,PresidentObamaandPresidentTheinSeinheldajointpressbriefing.TheUSandMyanmarwouldcooperateonissuessuchascapacitybuildingofMyanmarofficials,educationandpublichealth.ObamaexpressedhisconfidenceintheprocessofreformthatTheinSeinhasled,addingthatallthestepstakencouldunleashtheenormouspotentialofthecountry.Hementionedthatthesearehoweveronlythefirststepsonalongjourney,addingthattheUSiscommittedtohelppromotingprogressthatwillbegoodnotonlyforthecountrybutfortheregionandtheinternationalcommunity.LastlyObamathankedMyanmarforitscooperationinnon-proliferationissued,afterMyanmaragreedtosigntheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency’sadditionalprotocol,grantingtheUNnuclearagencyrightstoinspectsuspectednuclearsitesinthecountry.
Obamareferredtothecountryas“Myanmar”inhismeetingwiththeMyanmarPresident,asadiplomaticcourtesy,buttheUSofficiallyreferstothecountrybyitsformername,Burma.
FulltextofremarksmadebyPresidentObamaandPresidentTheinSeinaftertheirmeetingisavailablehere.
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT THEIN SEIN
President Barack Obama and Presi-dent Thein Sein of Myanmar in a bilateral meeting at the Parliament Building in Yangon PhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamoftheUSStateDepartment.USGovernmentworkslicence
MEETING WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI
PresidentObamahadanhalfanhourmeetingwithAungSanSuuKyiatherhomeinYangon,afterwhichthetwogaveashortpressbriefing.
AungSanSuuKyiexpressedhergratitudeforUS’ssupportofthedemocracymovementinthecountryandconfidenceofUScontinuedsupportthroughthedifficultyearsahead.Shewarnedofcomplacencywiththereformprocess,sayingthat“themostdifficulttimeinanytransitioniswhenwethinkthatsuccessisinsight”.SheexpressedherintentionofkeepingintouchwiththeUSgovernmentandofthemaligningwithoneanotheronthemostimportantmatters.
PresidentObamasaidhewashonouredtohavebeenthefirstUSPresidenttowelcomeAungSanSuuKyitotheWhitehouseandthefirsttovisitMyanmar.HeexpressedUSgoalsofsustainingthemomentumfordemocratisation,includingthebuildingofcrediblegovernmentinstitutions,theestablishmentofruleoflaw,endingethnicconflicts,andensuringpeople’saccesstoeducation,healthcareandeconomicopportunities.OnafinalnotehelaudedAungSanSuuKyiforhercontinuedeffortstowardsdemocracy,whichhesaidhasbeenaninspirationtopeoplearoundtheworldandtothepresidentpersonally.
FulltextofremarksmadebyPresidentObamaandAungSanSuukyiaftertheirmeetingisavailablehere.
President Obama greets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at her residencePhotographfromtheflickrstreamoftheUSStateDepartment.UsedundertheUSGovernmentworkslicence
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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
MYANMAR19 NOVEMBER 2012
BarackObamagaveaspeechattheYangonUniversityforadiversecrowdofaround1,500people,includingstudents,officialsandformergenerals.TherewerenoVIPlinesandallparticipants,includingmembersofparliamentandformergeneralshadtowalkthroughthesamesecuritygate.
Obamadrewapplausetwiceduringthe30-minutespeech,firstwhenhesaidreformwillnotsucceedwithoutnationalreconciliationandagainwhenhestressedtherolecitizensmustplayinademocracy.ObamaremindedtheaudienceofFranklinD.Roosevelt’sdefinitionoffourfundamentalfreedoms:freedomofspeech,freedomofworship,freedomfromwantandfreedomfromfear.DrawingonthesefreedomsObamadescribedthevisionheseesforMyanmarincludingminorityrights,freespeechandcivilianrule.
Obamaannouncedthere-establishmentofUSAIDmissioninMyanmar,andexpressedUSdesireofhelpingMyanmarimprovingitscapacitytofeeditspeople,careforthesickandeducateitschildren.
Obamastressedthatforthesakeofthecountry’sfuture,theviolenceinRakhinestatemuststop.“Fortoolong,thepeopleofthisstate,includingethnicRakhine,havefacedcrushingpovertyandpersecution.Butthereisnoexcuseforviolenceagainstinnocentpeople”hesaid.
President Obama said that he has embraced ASEAN because ASEAN nations are on the move; they are growing nations and emerging democracies with cooperating governments. “This is what the 21st century should look like if we have the courage to put aside our differences and move forward with a sense of mutual interest and mutual respect.”
ObamausedtheopportunitytoencourageNorth-Koreatoletgooftheirnuclearweaponsandchoosethepathofpeaceandprogress.HealsosaidthattheUSwelcomesthepeacefulriseofChinaandIndia.
OnafinalnoteObamaspoketothecitizensofMyanmar,encouragingthemtotakeactivepartonthecountry’spathtodemocracyandtoseizefreedom.HesaidhebelievedthatsomethingirreversibleishappeninginMyanmar,somethingthatcanliftupthenationandsetagreatexamplefortheworld.AndhepromisedtheUnitedStateswouldbeMyanmar’spartneronthelongjourney.
TheFulltextofObama’sspeechisavailablehere.Videoofspeechavailablehere.
Official releases:RemarksbyPresidentObamaandPresidentTheinSeinofMyanmarAfterBilateralMeetingRemarksbyPresidentObamaandDawAungSanSuuKyiRemarksbyPresidentObamaattheUniversityofYangon
Why it MattersObamaisthefirstsittingpresidenttovisitMyanmarandhisvisitisseenasacknowledgementofthesuccessofthereformistgovernment,whichhasnowruledforayearandahalf.PressuredbytheUS,theMyanmargovernmentannouncedtwoimportantdecisionspriortoObama’svisit.FirstthegovernmentassuredtheUNthatitwouldaddressthehumanrightsconcernsoftheRohingya,includingconsideringcitizenshipfortheminoritygroup.Secondly,MyanmaragreedtohaveallitsnuclearestablishmentsinspectedbytheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency.
ObamawasthefirstforeignleadertomeettheMyanmarPresidentinYangon,andnottheadministrativecapitalNaypyidawbuiltbythepreviousmilitaryjunta.Obama’sspeechatYangonUniversity,aplacewitharichoppositionhistory,wasaimedtoinspiretheMyanmarpublictoembracetheirnewfoundfreedom.ThefactthatthegovernmentagreedtotheplaceofthebilateralmeetingandObama’sspeechisinitselfsignofreform.
AlthoughthePresident’sspeechdrewontheprinciplesofdemocracyandcivilduties,AmericanengagementwithMyanmarislessaboutdemocracy,andmoreaboutmanagingChina,andpavingthewayforAmericancompaniestoenterMyanmar.
Whileanalysesdifferontheimpactofthepresidentialvisit,itisfirstly,aconfidencebuildingmeasurefortherelationship.ItopensdoorsforUSbusinessesandalsoservestofosterstabilityanddemocracyinthecountry.
YANGON UNIVERSITY SPEECH
President Obama Delivers a Speech at the University of YangonPhotographtakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamoftheUSStateDepartment.USGovernmentworkslicence
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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP
THAILAND MYANMAR CAMBODIA
3
TheleadersacknowledgedtheimportanceofacodeofconductintheSouthChinaSea,butnofurthermentionofthedisputedterritorieswasdiscussed.
TheyexpandedeconomictiesaftertheASEAN-USTradeandInvestmentFrameworkAgreement(TIFA)2013wassigned.TIFAsareexploratorystudiesandinsomecasesprecursorstoanFTA.
TheUS-ASEANExpandedEconomicEngagement(E3)Initiativewasalsolaunchedatthismeeting.TheE3InitiativeisdesignedtoexpandtradebetweentheUSandASEANbyidentifyingspecificcooperativeactivitiestofacilitatetradeandinvestmentandcreatemoreawarenessoftheopportunitiesbetweenthepartners.TheE3InitiativealsoseekstobuildfoundationsforASEANcountriestojointheTrans-PacificPartnership(TPP).
SpecificmeasuresintheE3Initiativeincludesimplifiedcustomspractices,jointdevelopmentofICTprinciplesandtradeinformationexchanges,cooperationinaddressinginvestmentpolicies,non-discrimination,investorprotection,andtransparency.TheInitiativealsoemphasisesenhancingcapacitiesofsmallandmediumenterprises(SMEs).
Official release: JointStatementfromtheUS-ASEANLeaders’Meeting
References: ExpandedEconomicEngagementInitiative
Why it Matters:ThistripwasseenasasuccessfortheAmericanpolicycommunity.However,Americanstayingpowerrestsuponsomecrucialissues.Firstly,Congressmustresolvetheissueofthefiscalcliffandreconcilebeforeautomaticspendingcutsthatwouldreducethebudgetby10%byJanuary2013areactivated.Secondly,itisunclearwhowillreplaceSecretaryClinton,DefenceSecretaryPanetta,andAssistantSecretaryKurtCampbell,strongsupportersofAmericanpolicyinAsia.
US-ASEAN LEADERS’ MEETING
Leaders of ASEAN countries and the United States pose for a photo PhototakenfromtheofficialflickrstreamofYingluckShinawatra
CAMBODIA 19 - 21 NOVEMBER 2012
8ThisreportwaswrittenbyCARIresearchers,ChayutSetboonsarng,SóleyÓmarsdóttir,andManissavanGeyzel,withdesignsbyChristinaChin.
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PRESIDENT OBAMA’S ASEAN TRIP