August 23, 2023
Canada's Minister of International Trade, Mary Ng, attended the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers (AEM) - Canada Consultation, in Indonesia.
The ministers agreed to advance shared priorities such as comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) negotiations.
Canada and ASEAN launched negotiations toward a free trade agreement in 2021 and will be holding the fifth round of negotiations in September, 2023.
Established in 1967, ASEAN comprises 10 Southeast Asian States: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Total bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and ASEAN reached $40.7 billion in 2022 while services trade amounted to $6.8 billion in 2021 and these numbers are expected to continue growing.