Pres. Moon takes ASEAN stage to highlight importance of free trade order
- 5 years ago
President Moon Jae-in is attending a series of ASEAN-related meetings in Bangkok today, starting with the ASEAN Plus Three summit.
Let's go over to our Park Hee-jun who is on the line for us in Bangkok.
Hee-jun, so what came out of the summit and what will happen throughout the rest of the day.
Mark.
At the ASEAN Plus Three summit this morning, President Moon reiterated the need to maintain the free trade system.
In his opening remarks, he voiced concerns over how it's being overridden by the global trend of trade protectionism.
He called on cooperation from ASEAN members, China and Japan,... and that they remember how they achieved economic development by binding together, and that they make up 30 percent of the world's economy.
Remember the background of his message...
South Korea and Japan are in the middle of a trade conflict that started with Japan tightening exports on Korea's tech-heavy materials.
That led to the further worsening of bilateral relations with Korea taking countermeasures of its own.
So it's an indirect jab at Japan which is among the Plus Three countries of the meeting with China and South Korea.
President Moon also took the opportunity to garner support for the upcoming Korea-ASEAN special summit and the Korea-Mekong summit in Busan.
It's only about three weeks away, making this President Moon's last chance to gear up anticipation for what will probably be the biggest international summit he has hosted.
Later in the day,... President Moon will attend a special luncheon on sustainable development.
He will then take part in the East Asia Summit to brief ASEAN nations and the U.S., Japan, China, and Russia on his efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.
And the last item on his schedule before he leaves for Seoul tomorrow,... will be the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership talks.
The 16 participating nations will work to create the largest regional trade pact in the world.
It would help expand free trade values,... also accelerating the Moon administration's 'New Southern Policy' through expanded trade and investment with Southeast Asia.
Going back to Seoul-Tokyo relations. With Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also attending the same meetings as President Moon, eyes will probably be on whether there will be another encounter between the two leaders after yesterday?
That's right.
During the gala dinner yesterday evening,... the two leaders exchanged friendly gestures for a brief moment.
That was their first face-to-face in four months and since Seoul-Tokyo relations took a sharp downturn, especially after Japan imposed its export curbs and the South Korean government decided to terminate its military intel-sharing pact with Japan.
According to the Blue House,... there aren't any bilateral talks with Tokyo planned for this trip.
But Moon and Abe will likely end up running into each other at the remaining sessions, so there's a chance that they might have a short discussion.
If they do, it would be a posi
Let's go over to our Park Hee-jun who is on the line for us in Bangkok.
Hee-jun, so what came out of the summit and what will happen throughout the rest of the day.
Mark.
At the ASEAN Plus Three summit this morning, President Moon reiterated the need to maintain the free trade system.
In his opening remarks, he voiced concerns over how it's being overridden by the global trend of trade protectionism.
He called on cooperation from ASEAN members, China and Japan,... and that they remember how they achieved economic development by binding together, and that they make up 30 percent of the world's economy.
Remember the background of his message...
South Korea and Japan are in the middle of a trade conflict that started with Japan tightening exports on Korea's tech-heavy materials.
That led to the further worsening of bilateral relations with Korea taking countermeasures of its own.
So it's an indirect jab at Japan which is among the Plus Three countries of the meeting with China and South Korea.
President Moon also took the opportunity to garner support for the upcoming Korea-ASEAN special summit and the Korea-Mekong summit in Busan.
It's only about three weeks away, making this President Moon's last chance to gear up anticipation for what will probably be the biggest international summit he has hosted.
Later in the day,... President Moon will attend a special luncheon on sustainable development.
He will then take part in the East Asia Summit to brief ASEAN nations and the U.S., Japan, China, and Russia on his efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula.
And the last item on his schedule before he leaves for Seoul tomorrow,... will be the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership talks.
The 16 participating nations will work to create the largest regional trade pact in the world.
It would help expand free trade values,... also accelerating the Moon administration's 'New Southern Policy' through expanded trade and investment with Southeast Asia.
Going back to Seoul-Tokyo relations. With Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also attending the same meetings as President Moon, eyes will probably be on whether there will be another encounter between the two leaders after yesterday?
That's right.
During the gala dinner yesterday evening,... the two leaders exchanged friendly gestures for a brief moment.
That was their first face-to-face in four months and since Seoul-Tokyo relations took a sharp downturn, especially after Japan imposed its export curbs and the South Korean government decided to terminate its military intel-sharing pact with Japan.
According to the Blue House,... there aren't any bilateral talks with Tokyo planned for this trip.
But Moon and Abe will likely end up running into each other at the remaining sessions, so there's a chance that they might have a short discussion.
If they do, it would be a posi