1. Economic Ministers from the ten ASEAN Member States and Economic Ministers of People’s Republic of China (“China”), Japan, and Republic of Korea (“Korea”) met on 4 August 2016 in Vientiane, Lao PDR for the Nineteenth AEM Plus Three Consultations. The Consultations were co-chaired by H.E. Mrs Khemmani Pholsena, Minister of Industry and Commerce of Lao PDR, H.E. Gao Hucheng, Minister of Commerce of China, Mr Tetsuya Watanabe, Director General of Multilateral Trade System Department, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, and H.E. Joo Hyunghwan, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy of Korea.
2. The Plus Three Countries commended the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 as a major milestone in regional economic integration. The Plus Three Countries also welcomed the new AEC Blueprint 2025, which envisages an AEC by 2025 that is highly integrated and cohesive; competitive, innovative and dynamic; with enhanced connectivity and sectoral cooperation; a more resilient, inclusive, and peopleoriented, people-centred community; and integrated with the global economy.
