ASEAN Economic Ministers Agree on Common Goal

Hanoi (Antara Bali) - ASEAN economic ministers signed two protocols and adopted a number of important initiatives at the 19th ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Retreat in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Friday for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015.

The protocols are to amend ASEAN Economic Agreements Related to Trade in Goods and the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement.

Participants specified orientations for economic cooperation in 2013 to realize the goal of building the AEC by 2015, and discussed initiatives on improving ASEAN competitiveness and connectivity with partners by building a business network and mechanisms to facilitate small and medium-sized enterprises.

They also considered the roadmap for negotiating the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which manifests ASEAN' s central and leading role in establishing a regional economic structure. (Xinhua-OANA/M038)