China has been trying to gain entry into the Asia-Pacific trade pact for two years, and Australia says it will ‘consider China’s application on its merits’ as bilateral ties warm.

Investment ties between the nations have been steadily advancing, and South Korea was one of the first countries with which the Gulf state launched talks about the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

In a keynote speech at the Post’s Hong Kong-Asean Summit 2023, Thailand’s deputy prime minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said unity among Asean members can help ‘preserve regional peace and stability’.

City leader says he hopes Hong Kong and Thailand can maintain their close relationship during meeting with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

Srettha Thavisin to meet John Lee at Government House on second day of visit.

National Development and Reform Commission pledges to support Yunnan with transport, logistics, energy and digital connection with southern neighbours.

Chinese premier seeks to assure Southeast Asian leaders the region is still a priority for Beijing and pushes for more talks on ‘free trade area version 3.0’ while attending business summit.

Hong Kong applied in January last year to join Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a trade pact that covers a third of world’s population.

China’s appetite for durian has increased global demand by 400 per cent, according to HSBC, with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free-trade deal helping to accelerate trade.

Prominent political economist Zheng Yongnian says China should do more to bring the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) within its economic gravity amid an intensifying US rivalry.

Chinese official addresses questions about trade deficit and export pricing by telling Indian counterpart ‘door always open’ to Beijing-led agreement.

Lee tells business conference city must continue to cultivate its links with developed countries, but be on the alert for opportunities elsewhere.

Asia Society report says US should acknowledge it is ‘one of many regional actors’ and reduce its ‘rules-based order’ rhetoric, which many Southeast Asians regard as hypocritical.

Malaysia and Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will work together on property developments for a transit rail project linking Johor Bahru and Singapore.

During visit by Hong Kong leader John Lee, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says passport holders from city can stay in country visa-free for 90 days, up from 30.

Chief Executive John Lee heads to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia with a delegation of five top officials and 30 leaders from cross-section of industries.

Wang Yi, mainland China’s foreign policy chief, tells Southeast Asian foreign ministers’ meeting in Jakarta that Hong Kong should be in the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Senior envoy touts ‘shared view and vision for the region’ ahead of Antony Blinken’s visit to Jakarta, criticising Beijing’s ‘many irresponsible acts’.

Tsinghua University Professor Ju Jiandong said China should counter Washington’s decoupling endeavours by building an Asian community ahead of a visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The UAE’s trade minister has said the country is ‘building a corridor of opportunity’ between the Gulf and Southeast Asia to eliminate barriers to trade, and create new avenues for strategic investment.

Bank of China report says more than 90 per cent of domestic and foreign firms believe ‘strongly’ using the yuan could steady trade within the Asia-Pacific region as Beijing presses on to increase global use for the currency.

Rather than pursuing free trade deals, the US president promotes a plan for the federal government to play an active role in the revival of domestic manufacturing.