SEMINAR ON “UPGRADING FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS WITHIN THE ASEAN FRAMEWORK”

09:00 17/04/2025

On the morning of 16 April 2025, at the Geneva Room of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the Faculty of International Economics successfully organized the seminar “Upgrading Free Trade Agreements within the ASEAN Framework.” The event is part of a series of activities conducted by the Faculty to provide students with a practical and comprehensive understanding of Vietnam’s and ASEAN’s multilateral trade policies.

The seminar welcomed the participation of:

- Guest Speaker: Mr. Quyền Anh Ngọc – Head of ASEAN Division, Department of Multilateral Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry and Trade; alumnus of Cohort 26, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

- From the Faculty of International Economics, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam: Dr. Nguyễn Xuân Đông, Ms. Lê Hoàng Quỳnh Anh, together with students of the Faculty of International Economics.

The seminar focused on an overview of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) under the ASEAN framework. The speaker explained the necessity of upgrading existing FTAs, highlighting political considerations, shifts in the global context, and the need to update new areas such as intellectual property, government procurement, and the digital economy. While tariff reduction and services liberalization were largely completed by 2024, current agreements still reflect limited commitments. Upgrading these FTAs aims to deepen regional integration, promote trade and investment facilitation, enhance resilience to emerging challenges, and strengthen regional supply chains.

Negotiation principles emphasize ASEAN centrality, internal consensus, and alignment with commitments under the WTO and existing FTAs, while taking into account varying levels of development among member states. The speaker also provided updates on the negotiation progress of key ASEAN FTAs such as ATIGA, ACFTA, AITIGA, and AANZFTA, all of which saw positive developments during 2024–2025.

The atmosphere became even more engaging during the Q&A session, as students posed insightful questions regarding trade negotiations, practical experience, and Vietnam’s role in the FTA upgrading process. The speaker offered detailed responses, encouraging critical thinking and inspiring students in their academic and professional pursuits.

The Faculty of International Economics expresses its sincere appreciation to Mr. Quyền Anh Ngọc, the guest speaker of the seminar, as well as to all lecturers and students who actively participated and contributed to the success of the event. We wish him continued success, happiness, and further contributions to Vietnam’s international economic integration.

Same category