This week I will travel to Cambodia to lead Australia’s delegation to the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap. These will be the first meetings of economic ministers since ASEAN Leaders agreed to a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia in October 2021.
I look forward to working with my counterparts to accelerate negotiations to upgrade the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA), which is the central pillar of Australia’s trade and investment relationship with ASEAN nations. ASEAN as a bloc is Australia’s second-largest two-way trading partner.
I will also attend the inaugural Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) Ministers’ Meeting. RCEP provides a platform for economic cooperation and sends a strong signal of regional support for trade liberalisation and the rules-based order. We welcome passage of legislation recently in Indonesia as an important step towards ratification.
As our countries and communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, I will use the East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting to emphasise Australia’s support for an open, inclusive and resilient region.
Australia is committed to working closely with ASEAN to deliver real substance under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and our regional trade agreements, for the benefit of Australia, ASEAN and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
Australia and Cambodia have a longstanding friendship and history of cooperation with this year marking 70 years of diplomatic relations. I hope to build on this relationship when I meet with my counterparts later this week.
