Asean, Australia and New Zealand are to upgrade their free trade agreement by 2022, while Asean Economic Ministers (AEM) in consultations with India have resolved to increase the free trade in goods and provide increased inter-market access in hopes of creating a market of more than 2 billion consumers.

PARTICIPANTS at the 22nd Asean Economic Ministers (AEM) Retreat have vowed to make Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) key economic drivers in the region, with Thailand and Malaysia as the main supporters.