AGL 37.94 Increased By ▲ 0.09 (0.24%)
AIRLINK 155.22 Increased By ▲ 12.75 (8.95%)
BOP 9.07 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.67%)
CNERGY 6.72 Increased By ▲ 1.00 (17.48%)
DCL 9.53 Increased By ▲ 0.29 (3.14%)
DFML 40.31 Increased By ▲ 0.87 (2.21%)
DGKC 92.95 Increased By ▲ 3.64 (4.08%)
FCCL 38.38 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-0.42%)
FFBL 78.58 Increased By ▲ 1.14 (1.47%)
FFL 13.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.15%)
HUBC 110.19 Increased By ▲ 0.90 (0.82%)
HUMNL 14.89 Decreased By ▼ -0.24 (-1.59%)
KEL 5.73 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.87%)
KOSM 8.47 Increased By ▲ 0.27 (3.29%)
MLCF 45.66 Increased By ▲ 1.13 (2.54%)
NBP 76.17 Increased By ▲ 2.55 (3.46%)
OGDC 191.87 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.06%)
PAEL 30.48 Increased By ▲ 2.77 (10%)
PIBTL 8.16 Increased By ▲ 0.17 (2.13%)
PPL 166.56 Decreased By ▼ -0.61 (-0.36%)
PRL 29.44 Increased By ▲ 2.61 (9.73%)
PTC 20.07 Decreased By ▼ -0.62 (-3%)
SEARL 96.62 Decreased By ▼ -0.91 (-0.93%)
TELE 8.27 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.73%)
TOMCL 34.26 Decreased By ▼ -0.74 (-2.11%)
TPLP 10.22 Increased By ▲ 0.32 (3.23%)
TREET 17.66 Increased By ▲ 0.31 (1.79%)
TRG 61.25 Increased By ▲ 0.25 (0.41%)
UNITY 31.97 Increased By ▲ 0.33 (1.04%)
WTL 1.47 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.68%)
BR100 11,221 Increased By 124.9 (1.13%)
BR30 33,666 Increased By 411.1 (1.24%)
KSE100 104,559 Increased By 1284.1 (1.24%)
KSE30 32,366 Increased By 396.5 (1.24%)

BRUSSELS: The EU vowed billions of dollars of investment in southeast Asia Wednesday, as leaders looked to bolster ties at a summit in the face of the Ukraine war and challenges from China.

The European Union billed its first full summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brussels as a chance to push trade relations with the region’s fast-growing economies. “There might be many, many miles that divide us, but there are much more values that unite us,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the gathered leaders.

But different opinions over Russia’s war in Ukraine and concerns about tensions with China over a key shipping route for global trade loomed over the meeting. The EU has been on a diplomatic push to galvanise a global front against Moscow as its invasion has sent economic and political shock waves around the world.

ASEAN’s 10 nations — nine of which were represented, after Myanmar’s junta was not invited — have been divided in their response to the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine.

Singapore has gone along with Western sanctions on Russia, while Vietnam and Laos, which have close military ties to Moscow, have remained more neutral. Along with Thailand, they abstained from a United Nations vote in October condemning Russia’s attempted annexation of regions of Ukraine seized since February.

The diverging views led to intense wrangling over a final declaration from the summit as the EU pushed for stronger language to condemn Moscow.

A draft of the final statement said “most members” decried Russia’s war, but conceded there were also “other views and different assessments”.

While Europe pressed for a tougher response to Russia, another global giant figured prominently at the summit. Chinese claims over the South China Sea have set it against some neighbours and sparked fears in Europe over trade flows through the key global thoroughfare. But China remains the biggest trade partner for ASEAN and many in the region are wary of distancing themselves from their giant neighbour.

The EU is keen to pitch itself as a reliable partner for southeast Asia’s dynamic economies amid the growing rivalry between Beijing and Washington. The EU and ASEAN are each other’s third-largest trading partner and Europe sees the region as a key source for raw materials and wants to increase access to its booming markets.

EU nations are pushing to diversify key supply chains away from China as the war in Ukraine has highlighted Europe’s vulnerabilities. Von der Leyen offered an investment package over the next five years worth 10 billion euros ($10.6 billion) under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy designed as a counterweight to China’s largesse.

“There is a battle of offers today in the geopolitical arena, not only a battle of narrative,” said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. “We have to offer more.”

ASEAN and the EU suspended their push for a joint trade deal over a decade ago — but the bloc’s top officials said they hoped to relaunch efforts for a broad agreement. So far deals with Vietnam and Singapore are in place, and the EU is looking now to make progress with ASEAN’s largest economy Indonesia and to resume talks with Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

Comments

Comments are closed.